‘You can’t fault him’ – the controversial Kevin Nolan transcript

Matt Stead
during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St. James Park on September 29, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

Kevin Nolan has expressed sympathy for both Newcastle fans and owner Mike Ashley.

It has been a difficult week at St James’ Park with Rafa Benitez’s departure as manager and Ayoze Perez’s £30m sale to Leicester.

At a club where the darkness of a thousand broken promises looms large, owner Ashley and the supporters have an untenable relationship.

Of all the terrible decisions he has made in charge of the Magpies, trying to sell the club is perhaps the most sensible, but no reliable buyer has emerged as yet.

Criticism of Ashley has intensified over the past month but former Newcastle midfielder Nolan has backed his stance on talkSPORT.

“Listen, I think, with Mike, you can’t fault him,” he said. Good start.

“Look, we had a bit of a dispute with him years and years ago when I was there with the bonuses as players. We wanted x amount, he was like ‘this is what you’re having, if you don’t want it, don’t sign it.’

“And that’s the way he is. I think he’s been like that now for the last 10 years, when I was there. So I don’t think he’s ever changed, Mike. When he first went he had all these great intentions of putting Newcastle back on the map. Obviously he’s lost that now and he wants to sell it and there’s no two ways about it, he wants to get out.

“But I think what he’s done, he’s still been able to finance the club and make sure everything’s still running smoothly. You go up there, it’s a fantastic club, and what he’s done within the ground is fantastic. I genuinely believe that the fans want a sale, Mike wants a sale, and when that happens everybody will be happy, Mike as well.

“The whole Rafa Benitez thing, I think he knew what he was going into when he walked into that club, because Mike is not one who will move the goalposts. This is what you get, this is what you’re gonna have, and this is what I want you to work with.

“I think that Rafa’s done quite well in working the media in terms of the way he feels and what he wants, but I think Mike is one of them. He’s stubborn, he’s a businessman and he’ll want to do it his way.

“With Mike, he will give that money, I’m sure, or the majority of that money, back to the manager that’s coming in anyway. That’s one thing he’s done with Rafa. If he was able to sell I think he was given the money.

“I think it’s a club…because of the fans, because of the city, there’s not many people who could turn Newcastle down. Although he’s not gonna be investing heavily, I think they’ve got a squad that’s good enough to be in the Premier League. I think that’s the most important thing for Mike, is to keep them there so he can get this sale across so they can move on and Mike can move on in his way as well

“Listen, I’ve been with Mike in meetings and he wants the sale just as much, but he wants what he feels the club’s valued and what he’s put back into it. In terms of the money he’s asking for now I don’t think it’s massive money for anyone who’s going to go to Newcastle and see what the prospect of building that club is, and see if they can get that club into the top six. It could go off the scale because of everything it has already there.

“I feel for the fans. I feel for Mike as well. It’s crazy because obviously being a player and knowing Mike, and being so close with the fans, you feel torn because you know how hard he is trying to give the Newcastle fans what they want.”