The Saudi-led new owners of Newcastle have made their first sacking with a reported pay-off of more than $11 million for beleaguered boss Steve Bruce. Club legends and fans reacted to the end of a reign Bruce called "very tough".
Before the weekend, Bruce was backed by the new owners for what was his 1,000th career game in management, when Tottenham visited St James' Park in the Premier League.
In a match marred by a medical emergency in the stands, the Magpies lost 3-2 to leave them with just three points from eight games, sitting second-bottom of the Premier League and without a league win so far this season.
The dismissal is the first major football move made by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which bought an 80% majority stake from much-maligned former owner Mike Ashley as part of a $420 million takeover following a protracted takeover.
In a statement, United thanked Bruce for "his contribution" and confirmed that coach Graeme Jones will lead the team on an interim basis until a successor has been found.
Co-owner Amanda Staveley, the British businesswoman who owns a 10% stake in the club as one of the main brokers of the takeover deal, is now rumored to be looking at Lucien Favre, Rangers' Steven Gerrard, former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca, Chelsea hero Frank Lampard and ex-Premier League manager Eddie Howe among the potential replacements for Bruce, who is widely reported to have been given a severance package exceeding $11 million.
"I know how tough it was for any manager at Newcastle for the last 14 years," responded Newcastle legend and British pundit Alan Shearer, referring to an era under Ashley that included his own stint as manager during a relegation season.
"I also know how badly Steve and his family wanted it to work. In difficult circumstances for everybody, he kept Newcastle up for two seasons. It’s a new era now, but thank you, Steve, for your effort and commitment."
Others were less sympathetic to the man who provided little of the entertainment and success Newcastle were readily associated with when they once challenged at the top of the Premier League.
"Bruce sacked – party time," retorted former Toon Army striker Michael Chopra, who had been linked with a role in previous takeover bids. "Wonder how many fans [will] head to the ground to celebrate."
Locally-born Bruce admitted that his tenure had been "very, very tough" and revealed that he had endured crude insults.
"To never really be wanted, to feel that people wanted me to fail, to read people constantly saying I would fail, that I was useless, a fat waste of space, a tactically inept cabbage head or whatever," the 60-year-old former Manchester United defender told The Telegraph. "From day one."
In his official statement, Bruce added that he was "grateful to everyone connected with Newcastle United for the opportunity to manage this unique football club".
"I would like to thank my coaching team – the players and the support staff, in particular – for all their hard work," he said.
"There have been highs and lows but they have given everything even in difficult moments and should be proud of their efforts.
"This is a club with incredible support and I hope the new owners can take it forward to where we all want it to be. I wish everyone the very best of luck for the rest of this season and beyond."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had bemoaned the consortium's takeover before the weekend and the possibility that a"new superpower" had been created in English football, while protests opposing the Saudi regime's involvement are also said to have taken place outside St James' Park on matchdays.
During the defeat to Spurs, a poster van containing an image of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi – alleged to have been killed on the orders of PIF head Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul – circulated the ground.
Nineteen of the Premier League's 20 clubs were reported to be angry and have demanded an emergency meeting with bosses because they said they had not been consulted on the takeover.
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