The Shields Gazette interviewed Dubai resident and Geordie Peter Redding a day or two ago.
Peter works for Capital Radio out in the United Arab Emirates and provided some much-wanted insight into BZG and Sheikh Khaled.
Redding has been a radio and TV sports presenter, and pundit for more than a decade now.
This is some of the insight Peter Redding gave to the Gazette during the Q and A interview.
“Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan is a well-respected business pioneer of the UAE, of that there is no doubt.”
“A little look at his CV shows how qualified the man is – he is a graduate of Boston University, and he has completed his Ph.D. course work in finance from Michigan State University.”
“He is the chairman and founder of the Bin Zayed Group – established in 1988.”
“Given his wealth you only have to look at the company’s trading and profits.”
“Here in the UAE local business people do not speak of wealth it is known as Haram (forbidden in Islamic law).”
“But it is definitely safe to say he is a serious player.”
“As far as a deal currently – I think the silence is key. And that can definitely be seen as a positive.”
“I have open contact with BZG and, speaking to them, I feel a deal to buy Newcastle United is not far away.”
“Knowing the culture of the UAE and being involved in sport, this is no smokescreen as viewed by many back in the UK.”
“This group are the real deal.”
“I think the BZG group are looking to replicate foreign ownership from the likes of Man City and PSG.”
“While I don’t think that kind of wealth is an option I can see this being huge for Newcastle United.”
That’s very good (and positive) information from Peter Redding.
If we only read what BZG have said things seem (very) positive.
But it’s the club’s leaked information to the Chronicle that has confused things, with Mike Ashley still saying he has yet to receive a formal offer from BZG.
This needs to be sorted out and sooner rather than later.
But we’ve been saying that for nearly four weeks now.
And time marches on.
Comments welcome.
373 comments so far
cleveleysbob
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:03 PM
Comment #81Tony, I’m hoping that VAR puts an end to the in box holding that goes on all the time at corners and free kicks, most teams are at it, and yes Lascelles will need to curb his “grabbing” inclination. I just want everyone to remember though that football is a contact sport and don’t want it over sanitised.
fairscup
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:06 PM
Comment #82Mbappe and Almiron – need some pretty swift defenders to cope with that pair!
Bobbybee
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:09 PM
Comment #83The truth is only those involved actually know what is going on. BZG must have done some serious research on, not only the club, but the fan base too. They mentioned something along those lines in the first release, about the history etc.
So fair to say they’re fully aware of how desperate we are to see the back end of the knacka.
The club and Ashley had already been making no comment to questions about the takeover before BZG released their second statement and that one was pretty unequivicol. It was without question designed to stop all this fretting and uncertainty. I don’t think they could’ve made it any clearer given the situation at the time.
If they were a fly by night organisation – like when that chancer from Carlisle I think, who tried to convince Manure fans he was taking over by juggling a ball in the centre circle at Old Trafford; remember him? – then we would be right to question it. But this is a member – albeit a minor one – of a royal family, with an already established port folio of big business concerns.
The Sheikh is a serious player. His words were completely reassuring in my mind – the deal IS on, be patient, we’ll get it done ASAP and I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.
I honestly don’t know what else he could have said in those circumstances that might have set more minds at rest.
Yes, it is Ashley, but they’ve taken him at his word that he wants to sell. They’ve got the money to buy and more than enough to convince him that his ludicrous concern about being able to take us to the next level doesn’t apply. (Why that should bother him, when he’s shown zero inclination to take us anywhere I have no idea).
Apparently, hiring the solicitor they have costs an arm and a leg, and due diligence isn’t cheap either, so if they find he’s been stringing them along and never had any intention of selling, I doubt this would be an end to the matter. They strike me as not the kind of businessmen you want to make enemies of. They might well go out of their way to destroy him.
We all want it to happen NOW, but things can only move at whatever pace they move at. They can’t make it happen any quicker.
As for the new directors test – or whatever its, called – they’ll work through Interpol I imagine. Driving convictions won’t hold it up, it’s acts of dishonesty they’re looking for I suspect, so I doubt that will be a problem.
All in all, with Monochrome Aquisitions being set up to move it along, I really don’t feel we’ve got any misgivings to worry about. Just relax, stay calm and wait. It will be sorted when it’s sorted and it’s in everybody’s interest to make it happen ASAP.
barkel
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:09 PM
Comment #84Bill
I think Bale is too injury prone for the wages he’d be on
john43
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:10 PM
Comment #85Nothing will ever change at our club until every last drop of cashley has left .The club is nothing without us .Stop going to games there is always more of us to take our places.Myself I only do away games because of the greatest set of fans in the world
RobLeenio
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:18 PM
Comment #86Sage words from Bobbybee as ever. Well said, mate
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:19 PM
Comment #87Two of the dirtiest players in my time watching football were Johnny Giles and Colin Todd.
Giles was an out and foot over the ball merchant who never thought twice about the consequences.
Colin Todd was a far smarter and devious fouler who was feared in the tackle by many of the pro’s in his time.
Another one who got up to no good was one of our favourite managers (not) Sam Allardyce.
In one of my brothers first games for Burnley as an 18 year old striker in the old first division they were up against Bolton with Allardyce at centre half. My brother was told by a teammate that the first time he was in an aerial challenge with Allardyce he would ignore the ball and butt him in the back of the head as hard as he could. He was told if he kept challenging for the ball and didn’t pull his head in Allardyce would pack in after two or three butts. Two or three sore heads later Allardyce decided to head the ball instead.
The difference that making tackling from behind a foul, and all matches being televised, has made to deliberate career threatening tackles is not to be underestimated.
Having said that, watching a true hard tackling warrior in the mould of Cheik Tiote is still one of the best ways to upset the oppo and fire up the fans.
toon22
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:19 PM
Comment #88MA and his goons have no idea how bad things can get at the toon
There’s a whole bench of supporters who are a bit radgie who are getting angrier by the day
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:25 PM
Comment #89Hatem5863677 where are you ??
Rotonda heights
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:25 PM
Comment #90Mirandinha @ 45
No that’s someone much closer to home on here 24/7. Holder of the current prat of the year 2019 award, an award he has now held a record number of times and counting.
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:25 PM
Comment #91Mikeashleyisamakem?
Where are you ?
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Comment #92El lame oi
Where are you ?
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Comment #93Dubai Micheal
Where are you ?
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Comment #94Mund
Where are you ?
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Comment #95Anyone remember silly sausage ?
barkel
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:29 PM
Comment #96Calm down frank you sound like a drunk delia smith
hibbit
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:31 PM
Comment #97o just out of interest who do we think Ashlie will give the breaking news story when the club is sold Sky the Sun or the Mirror ????????????????
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Comment #98Thanks ,
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Comment #99Hibbit
Daily Sport
jimiley
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Comment #100There is a buyer but who is the seller?.
NDA?
Never stopped the fat man in the past talking up a sale.
He is not talking up a sale this time for two reasons.
1.The other side are doing it.
2. The fall out for him will be less when it all crumbles because he can say he was never close to a deal and leading the fans on.
Clever.
Rafa has until next Friday to sign the contract. One week.
Rafa is going and the fat man is staying.
Get used to it. Get doon the groond and give the man his wedge.
Frank pingles come sock
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:35 PM
Comment #101To the best supporters in the world
Where are you ?
Come on ?
Where are you ?
We need Ashley out
Hic
Tony Baloney
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:36 PM
Comment #102I don’t think any of us really know who our transfer targets will be with or without a takeover. The links so far have been people farting around on Fifa 19. They will mostly be from the continent. Mooy and Harry Wilson are about the only Engish based players that I would think were not a BS link. Matt Targett, give me a break.
They will be Rafa specials and probably some legacy Ashley specials with players in their last year of their contract or relegation clauses. But mainly from abroad.
I am probably stating he obvious here.
jimiley
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:36 PM
Comment #103Frank
We are here in the groond cheering on the team.
The mighty wyn
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:40 PM
Comment #104Think he might let his mates at ssn have it
Jib
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:41 PM
Comment #105Root gone !!!!!!
RobLeenio
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:41 PM
Comment #106Bills son “watching a true hard tackling warrior in the mould of Cheik Tiote is still one of the best ways to upset the oppo and fire up the fans”
Absolutely agree – that sequence of 7 crunching tackles from various members of our team against Leicester in our promotion season was something to behold. It galvanised the fans and the players and sticks in the mind as one of the highlights of the season.
https://www.planetfootball.com/videos/watch-newcastle-players-fly-into-7-big-tackles-in-the-space-of-20-seconds/
That said, I do like the craft of a player like Sean Longstaff who is able to pick the pocket of an opponent without resorting to the full blooded challenge. He does it very often, presumably driven by quick reactions and high intelligence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7WDRDn4mtA
Bobbybee
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:42 PM
Comment #107Lol, that was written all over Root’s face. He doesn’t want to take up poker when he quits cricket! 🙂
Oldgit1
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:42 PM
Comment #108Just been listening to talk sport, Adrian Durham is blaming Rafa for not signing his contract. He is also saying we are not being sold. In-depth chat after 6. This guy is really a pain.
Sheikh Rafa
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:45 PM
Comment #109Frank & Jimiley
The fans have it in their power to force the parasite to sell up, yet they do nothing.
I remember boycotting games when the first Magpie Group were pushing to get McKeag & Co out of the club. I’m pretty sure that John Hall and the rest of the Magpie Group were encouraging a boycott at the time.
Tony Baloney
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:48 PM
Comment #110You just see the Mike Ashley lookalike in the cricket crowd?
Jib
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:50 PM
Comment #111The buyers will likely break it here
https://gulfnews.com/sport/football/sharjah-start-agl-defence-against-khorfakkan-1.64752426
You can subscribe for free for news alerts
Bobbybee
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:50 PM
Comment #112Oldgit1, because Adrian Durham is in the loop about everything relating to NUFC after all. He’s got the Sheikh on speed dial, didn’t you know? Aye, the go out clubbing together every time he’s in the country.
He makes these BS statements to wind people up in the hope that they’ll phone into his crappie show. So sadly predictable 🙂
carltoon
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:52 PM
Comment #113News from Nufc. Only it’s about the restructuring of the Academy.
captainmarvel
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:53 PM
Comment #114Where is Hatem today? By the way im with Bobbybee on this, I fully understand peoples concern, it is extremely frustrating but we must be patient…
RobLeenio
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #115Lol, Jib – I thought you meant that they would likely break it here – as in right here on Dr Ed’s marvellous blog.
Can you imagine? They’d probably be chased off by toon22, jimiley and Frank Pingles as either Ashley PR or a Mackem WUM.
XD
RobLeenio
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #116😀
captainmarvel
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #117Why is it soo bloody difficult to put an avatar\gravatar up?
Sheikh Rafa
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:58 PM
Comment #118The Keegan era, as a manager, and the best period in my 52 years, would never have happened without Sir John Hall, the Magpie Group and match boycotting.
The fans have it in their power to take the club back, yet they do nothing.
12 years and counting….. tick tock
£65 for a replica shirt, the most expensive in the Prem. The fat parasite is laughing all of the way to the bank, yet the fans do nothing.
Jib
Jun 21, 2019 at 4:59 PM
Comment #119Sheikh Rafa
It’s closed season
Calm down dear
RobLeenio
Jun 21, 2019 at 5:00 PM
Comment #120captainmarvel, from memory there’s an extra ‘save’ button you have to use – I think you have to confirm your choice of image, then sign out for it to take effect