Journalist close to Steve Bruce issues concerning update as ‘mood darkens’ on Tyneside

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has issued a concerning update on the current situation at St James’ Park as confusion remains over the immediate future of Steve Bruce and his coaching staff.

Many expected the 60-year-old to be sacked on Monday when our new co-owners arrived at the training ground for face-to-face talks, but over 48 hours on he’s still in a job – despite widespread claims he would NOT be in charge for Sunday’s game with Spurs.

Now, Luke Edwards – a self-confessed friend of the NUFC boss – reports that the ‘mood has darkened’ around the Newcastle United camp due to the lack of clarity heading into the first game under new owners.

He reports that Bruce took training on Tuesday and Wednesday, yet uncertainty around the future of his coaching staff has ‘impacted morale’, also leaving the players ‘lacking focus’ and unsure of who’ll be in charge this weekend.

It’s claimed Bruce expected to hear back within 24 hours of Monday’s meeting, but ‘that call has not been made’ as the consortium are waiting for a final decision from Yasir Al-Rumayyan – the PIF governor and non-executive Chairman of Newcastle United expected to sign off big decisions made by the club.

Here’s a snippet from Edwards’ piece for The Telegraph:

Sources close to consortium members continue to insist that a change of manager will be made before the weekend, but the power lies with chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and he will make that call, not those based in the UK.

It is understood there has been some confusion within Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as to why they would make a change in manager when they do not have a replacement lined up.

Bruce was thanked for keeping the club in the Premier League under difficult circumstances during the meeting on Monday and it is believed that was a message the Saudis were particularly keen to convey. 

Although all the indicators up to this point have been that Bruce will lose his job it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he will be asked to stay on for the time being – at least until the new owners have found someone to replace him.

Hopefully this is just a tedious delay that’s sorted out for good on Thursday, not a sign the Saudis are planning to give Steve Bruce his ‘1000th game’ this weekend before a long-term replacement is appointed.

With us 19th in the table, in need of our first win of the season and eager to celebrate the dawn of a new era that doesn’t include Steve Bruce, it will be disappointing and potentially damaging if he’s in the dugout on Sunday.

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

14 thoughts on “Journalist close to Steve Bruce issues concerning update as ‘mood darkens’ on Tyneside

  1. Put Graeme Jones in charge temporarily, get rid of Bruce’s shadow over the club!
    Be decisive for gods sake!
    If we have to wait for a manager with the balls to take on the job, so be it!

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  2. Something doesn’t smell right here. Asking for permission from Saudi? Are we really the richest club in the world with ambition at the start of a new dawn?
    Or are we just gonna be a Saudi play thing.
    Joseph you have hit the nail on the head. It’s so obvious what to do, and yet they haven’t done it.

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  3. Have a look at Wikipedia-they show Steve Bruce has already reached 1000 games-mind games by his pals?

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  4. Joseph:
    Put Graeme Jones in charge temporarily, get rid of Bruce’s shadow over the club!
    Be decisive for gods sake!

    Have you seen Jones’s managerial record? He may be a tactical genius but he’s a horrific manager.

    As for “being decisive” – you don’t mean that, do you, because leaving Bruce in charge would be “being decisive”. You mean hurry up and get rid of Bruce!

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  5. “not a sign the Saudis are planning to give Steve Bruce his ‘1000th”.
    Oh dear – that’s just your hatred of Bruce bubbling under there Olly.

    “…it will be disappointing and potentially damaging if he’s in the dugout on Sunday.”

    How would getting rid of Bruce, 2 days before the Spurs match benefit the club in any way? How would it have any positive effect on the outcome of the match? It wouldn’t. The effect could only be negative.
    It would only be “potentially damaging” because a small number of fans are getting above themselves and seem to think that they now have a say in how the club is run . Just because the new owners insist they will “listen” to the fans that doesn’t mean they will take any notice of them.

    We’ve got the money to build the team, now we have to understand that any decision involving a substantial amount of money is not made by Staveley sitting in a hotel in Jesmond. The big decisions will be made in Saudi.
    The new owners have talked about their decisions being “process driven”. The only thing that following a process guarantees is that it will take longer to do.

    Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the ride. It’s disappointing, and potentially damaging, that you continue to obsess over Bruce.

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  6. Stephen:
    Something doesn’t smell right here. Asking for permission from Saudi? Are we really the richest club in the world with ambition at the start of a new dawn?
    Or are we just gonna be a Saudi play thing.
    Joseph you have hit the nail on the head. It’s so obvious what to do, and yet they haven’t done it.

    The PIF do own 80% to be fair. They have a right to make big decisions, it’s just frustrating that this first and most obvious one has taken longer than it needed to…

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  7. AshleyOut:
    Who is going to be your next target once Bruce has gone Olly?

    Good questions.

    I’d have loved Rodgers but seems he’s not interested. Conte is the dream but I can’t see him joining a side 19th in the league.

    Being realistic, Martinez or Gerrard would be my choice.

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  8. BykerBill:
    “not a sign the Saudis are planning to give Steve Bruce his ‘1000th”.
    Oh dear – that’s just your hatred of Bruce bubbling under there Olly.

    “…it will be disappointing and potentially damaging if he’s in the dugout on Sunday.”

    How would getting rid of Bruce, 2 days before the Spurs match benefit the club in any way? How would it have any positive effect on the outcome of the match? It wouldn’t. The effect could only be negative.
    It would only be “potentially damaging” because a small number of fans are getting above themselves and seem to think that they now have a say in how the club is run .Just because the new owners insist they will “listen” tothe fans that doesn’t mean they will take any notice of them.

    We’ve got the money to build the team, now we have to understand that any decision involving a substantial amount of money is not made by Staveley sitting in a hotel in Jesmond. The big decisions will be made in Saudi.
    The new owners have talked about their decisions being “process driven”. The only thing that followinga process guarantees is that it will take longer to do.

    Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the ride. It’s disappointing, and potentially damaging, that you continue to obsess over Bruce.

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  9. I could not agree anymore with you, you are totally right getting rid of Bruce without anyone lined up would be suicidal he was never the right man for the job in the first place but let’s remember some players have taken to him and to get rid of him now without another manager in place explaining his plans would be a disaster. So lets just relax sit back and really enjoy the ride cos this could be the best ride in the world???

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  10. Olly Hawkins: Good questions.

    I’d have loved Rodgers but seems he’s not interested. Conte is the dream but I can’t see him joining a side 19th in the league.

    Being realistic, Martinez or Gerrard would be my choice.

    You misunderstood my question – I meant who is next for the barrage of criticism?

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  11. I can’t believe anyone who knows anything about Newcastle would suggest Bruce staying in charge a second longer than he has to would in anyway help us get a result at the weekend. Apart from him creating a poisonous atmosphere on Sunday we have seen time and time again he is useless.

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  12. For gods sake people, get a life. Can’t believe all this impatience after just a week of new ownership. Rome wasn’t built in a day and decisions of such importance and magnitude as the structure of the club going forward long term should not be knee **** reactions based upon press statements which are just their thoughts anyway and carry little or no substance. We have got to get this right with the right people in place and that was never going to happen overnight. If that means more time then so be it. PATIENCE unfortunately is a word that has more or less disappeared in reality in today’s world. There has been too much written in terms of speculation and conjecture in terms of who will come in , both management and players alike.
    I suggest everyone calms down and let events take their course which they will and in the right way. Remember where we are now and where we were just over a week ago and be eternally grateful to those investing in the club and the city, they will get it right but need time and patience.

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