Heading back to work but players deserve to know what’s going on
BRUCE HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE DARK ABOUT FUTURE AS PLANS ARE UNCLEAR
NEWCASTLE United players are likely to ask for some guidance on where things stand at the club when they return to work this week.
The training ground has been shut down for two months amid the virus pandemic and it seems a long time ago since Steve Bruce held his last Press conference on March 13.
Back then Bruce’s subdued Press conference took place the day after Mikel Arteta had been taken ill with coronavirus before a swift postponement of Premier League games swiftly followed.
Even before the home game with Sheffield United had been called off it was inevitable that football was in for an enforced break. In the space of a week, we’d gone from the prospect of following Serie
A and the Bundesliga into playing matches behind closed doors to an entire suspension of the English topflight.
What has unfolded since could only happen to Newcastle United.
Not only has a veil of uncertainty been cast over the club’s finances, with games potentially getting played with no fans until the end of the year, but the possibility of United being sold has also emerged.
Players in lockdown have had time on their hands and it has been impossible for them to escape reports of Amanda Staveley’s proposal to buy the club along with the Reuben brothers and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Some players won’t care about the overall politics at United but others will want some clarification on the future.
Those who have recently signed long deals will want to know what lies ahead and widescale reports of new management in the dugout has also been noted by senior players.
For what it’s worth, Bruce seems to be the man who will lead Newcastle
until at least the end of the season.
Yet talk of Mauricio Pochettino taking charge has been classed as disrespectful to Bruce and his coaching team in the eyes of some observers.
It is believed to have irked some at United with the former Tottenham Hotspur boss appearing on the yellow breaking news bar at one stage on Sky Sports News as players watched on from their homes.
It all mounts up to further uncertainty at the club which is why players will seek some clarity this week.
Managing director Lee Charnley will be the man some turn to for answers but the subject of takeovers wasn’t raised at a Zoom conference call with the squad and Bruce last week.
Instead, a roll-out of what training will look like at Benton and what the
club are doing to safeguard their senior players was at the top of the agenda.
Bruce has already made public comments about how long he will need to prepare the team for Project Restart. Even back in March, Bruce stated that a pre-season style schedule will be required to get players back up to speed.
The Premier League have offered incentives, such as bigger squads and the allowance of more substitutes to be used in matches, but players are still concerned.
A fitness reboot is one thing but players deserve to know what the short-term and long-term goals are at the club.
Even Bruce has been in the dark about his future and for all the reports on takeovers, the job of finishing the season looks like it will soon be upon us.