REALITY CHEQUE
New Toon owners are dreaming of Champions League but they face a fight to stay in Premier League as Saudis realise the scale of the task ahead
FIRST the celebrations, then the reality check.
After 11 days playing fantasy football, speculating on which superstars could arrive, and director Amanda Staveley insisting the Saudi-Geordies are targeting the title in five to 10 years, the scale of the job was shown to the world.
Newcastle United, now supposedly the richest club in the world remain winless, and second bottom of the Premier League. Relegation, not the Champions League, is a possibility.
Boss Steve Bruce insists they can win a relegation fight, even if the odds are that he won’t be in charge for it. He said: “Firstly we have seen St James’ Park as we always remember it. “It was a fantastic atmosphere and to get off to that start was great for everyone but we conceded. “We needed to build on that start. “We have been in a relegation fight five of the last six years. We’ve been up against it. I picked up the reins and finished 12th and 13th.
“I find that respectable. I am convinced we’ll win a relegation battle. If you are in the bottom half you’re in a relegation battle.
“The owners have been respectful in the last week. It will take time and patience but to have the supporters back on side was fantastic.”
Spurs, inspired by resurgent Harry Kane who ended his sixgame league goal drought and made one for Son Heung-Min, made this an embarrassment for the new regime.
Yet it took just 108 seconds for Callum Wilson to get the new owners off to a flier. St
James’ Park was alive with anticipation and hope. The party was soon over after just 22 minutes and it’ll probably be 1000 games and out for Bruce.
Outside the Gallowgate End, which last saw a public hanging in 1844, it was heaving two hours before kick off.
The noise was intense, as much for Mike Ashley’s departure, years of mediocrity and lack of ambition, as for what might come.
Wilson nodded home from close range, after Javier Manquillo overlapped and whipped in a cross.
Up in the directors box new chairman, Yasir Al-Rumayyan leapt off his seat to roar his approval holding up a scarf.
Soon he’ll be writing the transfer cheques. He’d arrived
in the morning on a private jet from New York – a timely reminder the PIF owned the two private jets that flew the 15strong hit squad to Turkey to kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
There are things the club or 10 per cent stakeholders Staveley and Jamie Reuben, have got right off the pitch.
Like the fan who left his tickets at home, went to the box office expecting to be charged £2.50 per duplicate but was told it was now free and “we don’t do that sort of thing here any more.”
Or like Reuben announcing he’d match every pound collected for at the NUFC Foodbank until the end of the season.
It all added up to a dreamy first, er, 17 minutes, until Tanguy Ndombele curled home and reminded United why they remain 19th in the table. Five minutes later it was Kane breaking his second longest Premier League goal drought.
A burst into space, a pass from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to the unmarked England man, and a neat lob, which ended the Geordie party.
The game was delayed after a Toon fan needed emergency medical treatment.
When it resumed, Moura sliced open the Toon defence, sending Harry clear. He crossed, and Son Heung-Min had a simple finish.
It could have been more, Lucas Moura hit the bar and Spurs, up to fifth with back-to-back wins, were dominant.
“No noise, from the Saudi boys…” echoed from the away end. Sub Jonjo Shelvey saw red, booked twice in his 22 minutes on the pitch.
An 89th minute Eric Dier own goals made the scoreline more respectable.
“We want Brucey out” sang the home fans, as thousands walked out early.
Bruce could face the sack this week, if the new regime finds a replacement.
He said: “I will wait until they see fit, and see what they are going to say. You had better ask someone else that.
“It was obvious we didn’t defend well enough after a great start.
“We have done that too often for my liking. Spurs first attack, they score, second attack they score. Unfortunately defensively we are not doing it well enough.”