Rio Ferdinand is Public Enemy No.1 amongst most football fans this afternoon after he decided to back Newcastle United‘s controversial owner Mike Ashley.
Ashley has been the subject of protests from Magpies supporters for several seasons now, as the club continue to fight relegation from the top-flight, due in no small part to the lack of investment in the first-team.
Newcastle were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night, leaving them in the Premier League’s bottom-three, but Manchester United legend Ferdinand has little sympathy for Rafa Benitez and the team’s long-suffering supporters:
@NUFC fans good morning to you all!! Ya clubs turning a profit, no debt, oh & playing in the PL! Terrible!
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) January 13, 2019
"I don't even know him [Mike Ashley] very well!"
"When they went down, he spent £50m of his own money to get them up. Thank you, that should be."
"By the way, please say thank you for getting Rafa Benítez in! They're lucky to have him!"@rioferdy5 on Newcastle and their owner. pic.twitter.com/9TID7rJpOF
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 12, 2019
As you’d probably expect, those comments haven’t gone down well, and it’s not only Newcastle followers who are angry with Ferdinand:
Rio Ferdinand, great footballer………talks a load of horse shite.
— Lewis Ritson (@lewis_ritson) January 12, 2019
Rio Ferdinand with the dumbest comment I’ve ever seen made by a pundit on live TV.
“What if Ashley spent £30m on a midfielder and £30m on a striker and they both get injured? That’s a waste of £60m.”
— Evin (@EvG_Football) January 12, 2019
Rio Ferdinand telling Jake Humphrey there’s no point in Mike Ashley spending money on decent players if he wants to sell. Rio to Jake: ‘would you do that?’ Jake: ‘before I sell my house I might do it up to make it look good’. And Jake wins.
— Sophie Barley (@SophieBarley) January 12, 2019
Have just seen Rio Ferdinand on Mike Ashley. Don’t like to slate pundits but to tell Newcastle fans to be grateful when you’ve failed to arm yourself with the most basic facts (ie club earned £30m net from transfers during 2016-17) is rather unpleasant.
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) January 12, 2019
Genuinely amazes me how many people can’t help but carry on digging when they’re in a hole of their own making, instead of just saying shit I’ve made a mistake here. Clearly Rio Ferdinand is no different – though I guess being in Ashley’s pocket makes it hard to backtrack
— RebeccaWatkinns (@RebeccaWatkinns) January 13, 2019
Rio Ferdinand talking absolute shite here. https://t.co/Y5n9Orn4r4
— Thomas Wynne Lewis 🏴 (@TomiCaws) January 12, 2019
Ferdinand is a clown. https://t.co/NwxRDkV2KP
— Battle Fever (@BattleFeverOn) January 12, 2019
Absolutely ridiculous comments from Rio Ferdinand regarding Newcastle and Ashley. What could possibly possess him to…. oh right pic.twitter.com/d9oamk0h4i
— Wayne Farry (@waynefarry) January 12, 2019
What do you think of the situation? Is Ferdinand correct in suggesting Ashley deserves more credit and respect for the part he’s played in helping Newcastle over the last decade or so?
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