Sunday 27 December 2009

Karren Brady

There's a big spread on her in the Sunday Times sports section this morning which likes look a PR puff. ('Wayne, what can we put in the sports pages over the break?'. 'Karren Brady's PR man sent us this exclusive interview'). Of course, I am sure that in reality Paul Kimmage [who he, ed?] worked very hard to get the story.

Brady could still have a role at Charlton, although I suspect that Gold and Sullivan will split the difference (£50m offered, £80m requested) with the Hampster's owners and secure control at the Boleyn Ground.

The story and the accompanying photo has the following themes:
* Sexy (see main photo and photo in football kit)
* Elegant (see photo at Derby with her mentor)
* Happily married family woman
* Can use four letter words to agents
* But goes to mass every week
* Has survived brain surgery which could have gone wrong or paralysed her

On the last point one has to admire her courage. She is a feisty lady and it's hard for a woman in football. I think that the positives about her outweigh the negatives.

She did spend four years on the Sunday Sport. I have never read this newspaper, but I understand its USP is not sport but pictures of young ladies who are scantily clad or indeed wearing no clothes at all, accompanied by stories of their sexual exploits.

No doubt this sort of thing upsets our local vicar who had a go at the Romans for their Saturnalia festival in his parish newsletter this Christmas. I don't want to get into a whole debate about this particular issue (pornography not Roman orgies), but as far as I know nothing that Gold or Sullivan has done in their publishing activities is illegal. It may not be in the best possible taste, but they are not appealing to readers of the Lady or Prospect.

Enjoy the pix (you have to buy the paper to get the football kit picture) and the interview here: Brady

BTW, it's a bit worrying that she lives in Warwickshire as she sounds like the sort of woman who would come round to my house and yell at me if she didn't like something I had written about her. However, I think she lives up Solihull way (where there are one or two Addicks).

6 comments:

Jan Becher said...

I read the article in the Sunday Times too. She actually sounded quite nice in the interview. I found the passage interesting when she first came and saw Birmingham City's ground and told Gold/Sullivan that this was the club to go for because there were opportunities. If she felt this way about Birmingham whose awful ground is in an awful area how she should feel about Charlton with our sparkling ground and reputation. I would not be surprised by a Gold/Sullivan takeover. I have never seen her in Solihull though. By the way, there are more than one or two Addicks in Solihull, my last count is six (including my three sons but not my wife).

Otherwarwickaddick said...

There is at least one more Solihull Addick who regularly accompanies me to matches. We will naturally be going to the Bescot - anyone else?

Suze said...

After the last couple of years, I'm just going to support the team and give up wondering about the information and miss-information of takeovers. I'm all for more money and a chance of a different kind of stress, but I can't do anything about it, the only way I can be there for the team is to support them...and that can be from anywhere you happen to hang your hat. At present, that for me is North Norfolk...and yes, the local papers are full of yellow and green.
There must have been a standard dictate going out to local vicars, a missive poked through my door had a similar view regarding Saturnalia...and other pagan festivals.

Snapper said...

Paul Kimmage is a very good interviewer and has won numerous awards, so I don't think it is just a PR puff piece.
He also used to be a professional cyclist and wrote a great book about being a run of the mill rider called A Rough Ride. It's one of the best sports books I've read.
Check it out, Wyn!

Wyn Grant said...

Thanks for the information about Paul Kimmage. In that case the piece is more encouraging should she become involved at Charlton. Suze's stance is very sensible, especially if you are in a nest of canaries. What concerns me is that if the club doesn't go up and we don't get new investors we could become insolvent. But I guess the answer there is on the pitch. I think it's just evangelical vicars that are taking the party line on Saturnalia and the Romans. I was puzzled about how it was supposed to connect with people living in the 21st century, although I saw something on the news just before Christmas on a revival of paganism.

Anonymous said...

Brady a typical example of how chutzpah seems to trump ability or knowledge these days. Good luck to her at least Pech seems a better choice than Sullivan.