Dan Ashworth during his time as Brighton and Hove Albion technical director
Dan Ashworth's personality has been blasted by Arsenal icon Martin Keown
Ex-Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth’s decision to leave Newcastle for Old Trafford so hastily speaks volumes about his personality, warns Arsenal icon Martin Keown.
Ashworth departed United on Sunday after just five months at the club. Having eventually been poached from former employers Newcastle after lengthy negotiations between the two clubs, it was seen as a statement of intent from new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
The 53-year-old had established himself with both Brighton and The FA, and he was hailed as “one of the best sporting directors in the world” by Ratcliffe. But Ashworth's decision to leave St James’ Park – in a move that turned sour, required arbitration, saw him placed on gardening leave and left Eddie Howe gutted – was criticised at the time.
Arsenal legend Keown has now reopened this wound, questioning whether his Gunners, who have been linked with a move for Ashworth following their director Edu’s exit, should pursue someone with a personality that could harm them in the long run.
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“I was troubled with the fact that he wanted to leave Newcastle so quickly,” Keown admitted, speaking to David Seaman on the Seaman Says podcast, brought to you by Betway.
“Suddenly, something's glistening in the distance, shiny in the shape of Manchester United, and he wants to jump from Newcastle. Okay, what sort of personality are we talking about?"
Crucially, when it comes to dealing with transfers and contracts of players too, Keown added: “The sporting directors, they're role models within the building. They're having a say with all the young players, their behaviour, contracts and the rest of it, and then suddenly someone just leaves. Just click of a finger, he's gone.”
Ashworth left his position on Sunday
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Image:
Getty)
Keown fears that should Arsenal choose to pursue a high-calibre sporting director in Ashworth, such traits could send a far-from-positive message reverberating throughout the Emirates.
“He turns up at Manchester United, and it feels embarrassing now. It's a power struggle, you know,” Keown continued. “They've got so many different cooks, haven't they? It's all speculation right now. But he's gone out the door very quickly.”
Ex-Arsenal man Edu, much like Ashworth, has jumped from his very successful ship, leaving the Emirates behind, likely for a position under Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and his empire of clubs.
This departure also rubbed Keown up the wrong way, as he remains optimistic over whether Arsenal, who have placed Ashworth atop their list of Edu replacements, would be a good or inspiring fit.
Edu's Arsenal reign ended last month (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
“I'm not happy that Edu's gone,” Keown stated. “That, for me, was a disappointment because it leaves the manager on his own. I think Richard Garlick will attend to that quickly and the necessary people will be back in.
“Whether we (Arsenal) take someone that Man United don't want, or didn't like [Ashworth], I don't know. It does seem that the journalists I'm hearing who are breaking the story seem to have had Dan Ashworth's ear. It seems that because he was ‘shocked and stunned’.
“So, we're hearing that, so where's that coming from? I think it's coming from the horse's mouth. But as I say, I'd love to hear from him sometime soon because I’d be really interested to get the insight from Dan Ashworth as to why this guy, who Jim Ratcliffe said, ‘he's the best in class’, within a few months is out the door.”
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