From the outside, it appears that Widnes are being well run. No outlandish statements from their directors, support for the coach, good sprinkling of young (often local) players. Sensible collection of experienced players (Clarke, Brown, Tickle). I think they'll make the 8 this year at the expense of Hull KR or Catalans.

Flying Biscuit, I'm with you on what you have said, not like the guy from the start, and it's not a jealousy thing that its not my club.

The difference is Simon Moran has gone about it all in the right way, kept his head down and done it for the love of his home town and club. I think it's clear these are the only main reason's he's in the game. Koukash is here for one thing and one thing only to make cash.

Who is anyone to say Simon Moran or any other chairman has gone about things in the "right way"? What exactly is the right way and which handbook did you read this from. How many trophies have Warrington won under the ownership of Simon Moran for example? Give Koukash the same time period and then lets compare the two.

The reason many people are saying he is good for the game is because unlike the chairman of the clubs you mentioned, he hasnt come in without the capital to improve the team, the club and the competition. Koukash has come on board and spent big, he's brought a talented English coach back into employment, he's paid transfer fees for some top players thus financially assisting other clubs i.e Castleford and Wakefield, he's taken a club that finished bottom of the league last season and added enough talent to make them comparative with the rest of the the league thus creating greater competition and excitement within Super League. Would people rather see a Warrington v Salford white wash or a close and entertaining game?

People dont like Marwan Koukash because he's different, the sport of RL hasnt seen anybody like this before. His personality is something the majority of RL fans arent use to, he's outspoken, brash, ambitious and just what rugby league needs. He is a successful modern day businessman who can see the value of Super League and wants to do everything he can to help it realise it's potential.

Also anyone who believes Koukash is involved in Salford Red Devils or RL in general to make cash is deluded. Ask the majority of Super League chairman and ask them how much profit they've made over the last 10 years, I can imagine only Ian Lenagan would come back with a reasonable figure purely because of the Sam Tomkins transfer fee. Sure he wants to own our stadium, but that's because without it Salford Red Devils will never be a self supporting club and we'll always be paying rent and receiving zero profit in return. It's the same with his proposals for Swinton, he knows they can only survive in the long term with their own stadium in Swinton which could generate enough profit through commercial interests (i.e bars, cafes etc) to assure their future.

JGR of course you are right to defend Koukash given the perilous state of your club before he arrived, the amount of investment he has made in financial terms, the coach and players he has attracted and by all accounts the systems that are now in place such as fantastic training facilities you must be on cloud 9?

Yes he's also raised the profile of your club and perhaps RL in general, all good stuff in principle, despite an idiotic outburst or two at the start of his tenure. BTW I think previous posters comparing him and Simon Moran were looking at their style, would our Simon order a plane with banner to fly over OT in years to come should Warrington not even make the Play Offs oh how we laughed together with a proven history with the club rather trophy's won under his stewardship.

However, do you really think that your Marwan is SO in love with RL that he thinks that owning another club is good idea for the sake of that club and RL? The only logical explanation of his supposed interest in Swinton is property investment in general? Build Swinton a new ground fill it with 6 thousand burger quaffing, beer drinking speccies every other week can't just be the plan,if it was that easy why don't we all do it? Is it a veiled threat to leave Salford Council with a white elephant if he decides you leave Barton move to Swinton on the basis that they and Peel won't sell.

Which leads us back to a possible conclusion that in Salford he saw a wider development potential rather than an inherent love for the club or even RL. Nothing wrong with that at all, but, if he doesn't get his way will his interest wain? Accepted, there are no guarentees you enjoy it while you can. I must say that I find it quite refreshing whether i nwholeheartedly agree with his antics or not, the greater number of strong clubs the league has the better the comp will be.

Finally, I'm also pleased that you can bask in the rosy glow that your transfer money has helped Wakefield and Cas. It's a pity that many of your supporters didn't feel the same way about the Myler move.

All that fraking malarkey is in that area isn't it?

He's due a mystery trip to Dubai soon...I wonder why he goes there ?

Sounds just like Dave Whelan - apart from being just what rugby league needs.

Threatening a dummy spit if he isn't allowed his way by Salford Council and the RFL.....Just what the game needs.

because he has a lot of business connections and he likes to vista sheikh mohammed because they both love horses?

A GPs' conference?

=#FF0040edit at 21:08 ok i guess you had nothing

I'll give you one right of reply with irrefutable evidence to back that up otherwise that last post is gone

As someone has said before, Koukash is a scandal just waiting to happen.

There is no comparison to be made between him and Simon Moran on any level.

Isn't the ground in the lease or ownership of Salford City Council with sub tenants being both rugby clubs ...Salford & Sale ?

I thought so, one of the big issues John Wilkinson was meeting was the cost of the rent.

I remember the first time we played there & i rang the stadium for tickets only to be told they had nothing to do with the Reds & they gave me another number.

Is it true he supplies Tesco with horses ?

I'm puzzled by Koukash. I welcome anyone with money and ideas in to RL, but there is a (or what appears on the outside at least) a significant nativity about him for a well educated guy.

Wow, so funny! We've missed you on the Salford board with your hilarious "dr nokash" comments, gone a bit quiet since he brought in 14 new players.

Really don't know why wire fans are so touchy, can't be jealousy surely we're years behind you. Maybe it's fear, some of you were actually fans before Moran and realise a top quality team can be bought over time, no other teams fans are so anti koucash's

Although to be honest most wire I've spoken to are genuinely happy and excited for Salford, shame you can't all be so gracious. Good luck next season

See this is precisely the kind of gibberish that gets me raging.........

WHAT has he done, in terms of marketing that is better than what the RFL have done, and you could say the RFL have done no marketing whatsoever so he doesn't have a particularly high bench mark to aim for..........

but what exactly has he done....?
he wasnt one of the "rebel owners" that were not going to be stiffed by Gary Hetherington. Only now has he decided to comment on the Structure of the game. But what great Idea is he trumpeting from the roof tops that will create a TV rights clamour and windfall for all clubs.....????? he wants the salary cap increased that's all

What has he done to get ALL fans revved up for the new season? In my opinion hes dampened enthusiasm by bleating on about losing everyone to the NRL and saying only two clubs in the entire league are not in any financial trouble ...and then wants the salary cap raised, great idea! I wonder if the banks got into trouble by letting people with no money, borrow lots of money? he only has to ask Dave Matthews one of his staff, he worked at the Coop Bank...!

Then despite being so good at Marketing, he bitches about his own club's failing in marketing with "The Red Devilution " only attracting 2,000 season ticket sales . And all that despite his own highly original Marketing master plan that was that poopy little plane flying over Old Trafford.

oh and get it right over the melbourne cup, the Aussie media had him down as a crackpot pantomime villain when he told them, as well as winning the melbourne cup he was going to steal all their best rugby players as well....hardly professional blue chip marketing.........

I think he knows exactly what he is doing with all his controversial statements and tweets. Genuinely looking forwards to seeing how the club gets on this year- I can't remember when I last said that about a SL side.

Your last sentence softens this somewhat, but you've misread the entire thread with your earlier comments. Although there are a few naysayers about Dr Koucash's style, the main thrust here is that he is foolish to expect either instant success, or that the Salford public will quadruple their interest in the team overnight ( as would be shown by attendance going from 2k to 8k ). Success can be acquired [iover time[/i, but buying players is only part of that. Dr Koucash needs to be satisfied with at least five years of steady growth, anything that comes before that should be viewed as a bonus, not a target.

When you say "significant nativity" the Salford fans are probably hoping that he is the 'second coming' rather than just one born every minute

Gadger wrote:-
Really don't know why wire fans are so touchy, can't be jealousy surely we're years behind you. Maybe it's fear, some of you were actually fans before Moran and realise a top quality team can be bought over time, no other teams fans are so anti koucash's

Although to be honest most wire I've spoken to are genuinely happy and excited for Salford, shame you can't all be so gracious. Good luck next season


I think it was one of the Hollywood moguls that said "There aint no such thing as bad publicity" and, let's face it, Koukash has a genius for attracting publicity.
Apart from the world cup, his comments have commanded more media space for Rugby League than anything else during the close season and talking about him is better than dreaming up rumours for discussion, as usually happens, because of the paucity of news that emanates from the clubs and Rugby League Headquarters during the close season.
I know it would be anathema to Simon Moran but we do need a few more headline grabbers in the game to put it in the eye of a wider public. Even if we think they are talking garbage.
I laud him for the amount of money he has put in to Salford and wish him every success because the game needs a team in the Manchester/Salford area that can consistently compete for honours and can hopefully, in time, build up a large fan base.
However I must agree that he has an awful long way to go. The stadium is not in the best position and the initial fan response to his efforts is disappointing. If it is any consolation, it is disappointing to all those who want to see a viable Super League of twelve or however many competitive clubs when every match is eagerly anticipated as a contest. Instead of an elite of four clubs winning everything.
It would appear that this situation can only be reached by having however many wealthy backers to patronise the clubs because the power in the game rests too much with the wealthy clubs who stack the odds in their own favour.
Meanwhile 57 posts is not bad for a Koukash thread

Salford obviously haven't sold as many season tickets as the chairman would have liked & it will be interesting to see if they have lost any of their old support from near the old ground who can't be bothered going to the new one.

Come On ! Don't stumble at the final hurdle;the thread on the VT,on the Phil Clarke assessment,is getting a larger response.
In this months RLW Dr Koukash and Salford Red Devils are mentioned on pages 6,7;discussed by a chairman,agent and player on pages 8 and 9.
Lots of paragraphs from Lionel Hurst on page 38 - ''....people of vision,passion,enterprise and money..'' and the first person Nigel Wiskar allows to be quoted,and he is far from complimentary in his Daily Mirror pieces.
Salford even merit a mention on Phil Caplan's page.

Not only Warrington followers,but the great and good of rugby league are interested.

Wot a bloke !