THERE comes a time in every sport when one personality and character enters the realm and everyone sits up and takes notice.
In rugby league, that personality was Dr Marwan Koukash.
The Palestine-born racehorse owner entered the 13-man code in 2013 before exiting in 2018, but along the way he made a name for himself as one of the most outspoken characters to ever enter rugby league.
Changing Salford’s name from ‘City Reds’ to ‘Red Devils’ and splashing the cash to bring the likes of Rangi Chase, Gareth Hock, Francis Meli and Tony Puletua to the club, Koukash had a dream of winning every piece of silverware possible.
Of course, as everyone in rugby league knows, that dream fell like a lead balloon, and, after five years, Koukash sold to a fans’ consortium.
Things went from bad to worse for Koukash, with an individual insolvency case for bankruptcy revealing that the 65-year-old had been stripped of all his assets, following an order given on 13th September 2022.
Current Salford chief executive, Paul King, who came into the club as a managing director shortly after Koukash’s exit, has given his verdict on the club’s time under Koukash and the man himself.
“It was mixed really, he was a big publicist,” King told The League Express podcast.
“Some of that was good and some of it was bad. I think his intentions were great, but he probably had a bit of bad advice.
“He certainly damaged himself financially for a while so you have to respect the endeavour and energy that he showed.
“I just think he had bad advice along the way in the way he went about it and then he got fed up.”
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