Newcastle and Premier League legend Faustino Asprilla thanks late Playboy chief Hugh Hefner and says he ‘taught us to read magazines with one hand’
FORMER Newcastle striker Faustino Asprilla has offered to take over the reins from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.
The ex-Premier League star made headlines last year after it emerged he had found a new hobby in retirement selling flavoured condoms.
Now the retired centre forward is making sure the world knows about his admiration for the late ladies’ man - who died on Wednesday aged 91 - with a string of tweets in his honour.
Tino as he is better known, still revered on Tyneside, started his flurry of messages with a tweet hours after Hefner’s death by posting a picture of the entrepreneur surrounded by a bevvy of bikini-clad beauties and writing: “Rest in peace hero.”
He went on to call him in a legend in another tweet before adding: “Thanks to Hugh Hefner our generation learnt to read magazines with one hand.”
His later tweets implied he was ready to take over from the free-spirited lothario, who claimed to have bedded more than 1,000 women over his lifetime.
One showed Tino resting on a sofa by the pool of a palm-fringed mansion and carried the caption: “Very sad at your departure but rest assured that I will continue with your legacy. Thanks for confiding in me.”
Hinting he was ready to rebrand his home, he included a link to the Twitter site @mansionsantino - Saint Tino’s Mansion in English - which looks as thought it is yet to get off the ground.
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The pledge has led to brave predictions by fans with one claiming: “We have our own Hugh Hefner.”
Colombian Tino, 47, is known in his home country as The Octopus for his voracious appetite.
He appeared at St James Park to finalise his £6.7million move from Parma to Newcastle in February 1996 during a snowstorm, dressed in a fur coat.
He was sold back to Parma for £6m in 1998, having scored nine goals in 48 league appearance and nine goals in 11 European games.
Last year he became the face of the new ‘Tino’ condoms as it was announced they were being sold in pharmacies and shops across his home country at a price of £2.15 for three.
The flavours, strawberry or chocolate, were chosen after a test was conducted on several women in Colombia.
Tino said at the time the idea for the product originated with him becoming a sex symbol in Colombia after a photograph of him accidentally flashing his manhood while playing a friendly against Chile in 1993 made international headlines.
Last month it emerged the retired striker, who was famed for watching porn on the Newcastle team bus, had received an offer from an adult entertainer.
Amaranta Hank, who quit her job as a journalist to become an X-rated actress, said she had set her sights on shooting an explicit film with Tino.
⚽ Ian Wright's Premier League Tips ⚽
Former striker Ian Wright selects his top tips for Saturday's action.
"Romelu Lukaku has started exactly as you’d want a £75m signing to start.
"Not only has he scored a load of goals but he’s also silenced those questioning his link-up play and the first touch.
"He’s the only player in my mind when it comes to the first goalscorer market - and I fancy United to get loads againsrt Crystal Palace."
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