No room for as Toon face
BRUCE WARNS PLAYERS TOP-FLIGHT RELEGATION IS STILL ON THE AGENDA
NEWCASTLE United owner Mike Ashley is believed to have made plans for 2020 at St James’ Park after failing to see any encouragement from any of the groups who expressed an interest in buying the Magpies over the last 12 months.
Sources have told The Chronicle Ashley is still willing to hand the club over to new investors if the price is right.
However, despite public statements from the Bin Zayed Group in the summer and a written letter from Peter Kenyon – who was fronting a bid from a US-consortium – potential suitors have edged away as Premier League clubs move closer to the winter transfer window.
Kenyon had said to Ashley earlier this year via a written letter: “I would like to personally assure you I am committed to conclude our deal as soon as possible.
“While we are both perhaps frustrated we have not progressed as quickly as we would have wished, I would like to express personal gratitude for your patience and integrity in this matter and hope we can continue our discussions in the same spirit.”
Kenyon, though, has gone silent in recent times.
Despite making positive public noises, there have also been no strides forward from the OrlegiSports Group, who met with the Sports Direct Magnate last month.
Ashley has already sanctioned funding for January spending and Newcastle are finalising a hit-list of targets who could come in next year.
Newcastle have also had interesting names put to them by agents ahead of the window but Steve Bruce has made it clear he is “relaxed” about the next trading period.
However, Bruce’s talent-spotting team has been back on Tyneside this week to talk about targets from France, Belgium and Holland ahead of the next window.
Ashley is keen to see more progress on the field from Newcastle despite remaining an absent owner this season.
He is believed to have given Steve Harper’s new role as firstteam coach the green light this week, the Toon owner keen to see more new faces emerging from the United Academy.
Harper will offer Bruce and the club an opinion on where the club are lacking in the under-23 squad and he will also have a say in the recruitment side of things.
STEVE Bruce has warned his Newcastle United side they are still very much in a dogfight in the Premier League.
The 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa, and positive results for Norwich City and Southampton at the weekend, mean the gap has been cut to just five points at the bottom of the table.
After going clash at Villa
Park looking for a place in the top 10, suddenly Newcastle are looking over their shoulders again with champions Manchester City up next at St James’ Park.
Bruce said: “We are a third of the way through, there is plenty to play for.
“This time last year there were two adrift, Fulham and Huddersfield there is not at the minute with the weekend results.
“It is all to play for, every one is trying to make a fist of it”
While Bruce’s side flunked against Villa, he believes the defeat could still be the result of an offnight and urged his side to keep going.
He added: “We have to keep persevering.
“Every time they don’t, I will be asked the same question.
“They have to stay confident, into the stick with it. Unfortunately, all of them are lacking in the goals department. “We have to keep working away at it.” Bruce’s return to the second city did not result in a full-scale frosty reception - despite a negative build-up on social media.
The former Villa and Birmingham City boss reflected: “All that return to Villa Park stuff has gone.
“I had two enjoyable years here. “Villa are big club with big history and it has gone. “The disappointment was we had been playing so well of late lost here.
“It would have been nice to have won but we did not play well enough.
“We needed to do more when we had the ball.
“We gave it away too cheaply on the counter-attack.
“We did not find a pass when it mattered.
“The first half in particular we were nowhere near where we have been in the last few seasons. We were passive with the ball and without it.” but we have