With news that Old Trafford could be knocked down, Richard Keys has sent a strong warning to Manchester United and used West Ham United as an example of what could go wrong.
A task force consisting of new Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham and former athlete Sebastian Coe has been created in order to develop a world-class football stadium in Manchester.
There are plans to knock down Old Trafford, with Coe leading the newly formed task force whose aim is to regenerate the area surrounding the ground (talkSPORT).
West Ham fans will know all about Coe and his experience in developing football stadiums! He played a lead role in the build and design of the London Stadium, and he recently blocked any plans for the athletics track at our Statford home to be removed.
Now Richard Keys has warned Manchester United not to get involved with the 67-year-old…
Old Trafford to be knocked down
Richard Keys has warned Manchester United to steer well clear of Sebastien Coe, if they are to embark on a new stadium build:
“The only thing I’d add Andy, is that I’m not sure Seb Coe should be anywhere near the project. I like Coe as well, but the last project he was involved in led to the London Stadium being built – a hybrid athletics/football stadium that’s never been fit for purpose.”
Keys certainly has a point, the London Stadium is definitely not fit for purpose as far as being a football arena is concerned.
The major bone of contention the Hammers fans have with the London Stadium is the distance from the stands to the pitch. The only way to resolve that would be taking ownership of the former Olympic Stadium and redeveloping it into a proper, fit-for-purpose football ground.
The lack of foresight to ensure that – when building the stadium for the 2012 Games – it could be converted for football afterwards was nothing short of negligible. Remember, Coe headed up the 2012 London Olympics organising committee.
The news that Old Trafford could be knocked down, with the Manchester United hierarchy building a brand new stadium is undoubtedly a big twist from the original plans to simply improve the current arena.
However, Keys has left Ratcliffe and co in no doubt that they should be looking elsewhere than Sebastian Coe for help after his history with West Ham United’s London Stadium.
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