Danny Mills believes the Saudi PIF withdrew their bid for NUFC for one reason and one reason only – to save themselves the embarrassment of being rejected by the Premier League.
Following the breakdown of the deal last Thursday, fans have vented most of their anger towards Richard Masters and the Premier League for their refusal to make a decision on the takeover, believing the four months of uncertainty forced the buyers into taking a stand.
Outspoken pundit Danny Mills thinks otherwise, however, feeling they ‘pulled out before they were thrown out’ to save face..
Here’s what he had to say about it all to Football Insider:
“It appears that the Saudis pulled out before they were thrown out.
“That is how it looks on the surface of it.
“It leaves Newcastle in a very difficult and awkward predicament now.
“They would have had an inkling. Top lawyers would have been dealing with the situation because they are very smart people. They must have an idea of what is on the cards and what is coming next.
“You assume that they got wind of a problem. It is like when a manager resigns before he gets sacked.”
It is plausible that the Premier League we’re leaning more towards rejecting the bid rather than accepting it, hence the 17 week delay. However, what us fans want – and deserve to know – is why that was the case.
Also, why would Staveley, the Reuben brothers and the PIF all go public in their eagerness to resurrect the deal if they knew there was no way of salvaging it and it was a dead rubber that the Premier League were never going to approve? If this was a mission to save face as Mills suggests, surely this would be even more damaging to their reputations?
From my point of view, it seems crystal clear that the Premier League have sat on their hands and been totally indecisive on the issue, hence the buyers decision to temporarily ‘withdraw’ to put pressure on the powers that be.
They appear reluctant to make a call either way, and Staveley’s comments to The Athletic’s George Caulkin on Thursday back up these claims, as she said they were “prepared to wait month after month” without making a decision.
You can’t have two parties willing to do a deal, with a price agreed, and have a third party delay the process indefinitely without a proper reason for it and zero communication – especially when it means so much for the supporters, who are rightfully demanding answers.
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