Valentin Furlan — Newcastle upon Tyne, England
25/06/2021 17h22
It wasn't an easy season for Newcastle. Actually, it was quite the opposite. The Magpies finished 12th in the Premier League with underappreciated performances and criticism coming from all corners towards coach Steve Bruce, who seemed to be on the verge of being sacked during a major part of the time.
But if Newcastle saw the chequered flag 17 points ahead of Fulham, 18th place, it was due to Bruce's strategies and squad management during the most critical moment of the season. With five victories in the last eight games, they went from relegation candidates to a much more convenient midtable team.
Thus, we interviewed Chris Waugh, Newcastle correspondent on TheAthletic, who took us through what is expected from the team in the next campaign, as well as backstage details from the 2020/21 season, which highlighted the possibility of the club to be bought by a Saudi investment consortium.
Interview
ZonaMista.net – Considering all the critics made during the last campaign, how is Steve Bruce's relationship with players and directors at the beginning of this pre-season? How confident are they with him at the job?
Chris Waugh – Steve Bruce’s relationship with directors is really strong. They – Lee Charnley is the managing director, who runs the club on behalf of Mike Ashley, who's the owner – kept faith in him in March when a lot of people thought that it was right for Steve Bruce to be sacked – I think it was a strong justification for him to have been sacked after Newcastle loss 3-0 away at Brighton –, and at that point it looked to be really heading towards the Championship in relegation, but Lee Charnley quickly got a message out of supporters as Steve Bruce said he wasn't going to go anywhere, they were going to stick with him, he was confident in tailing around, and it turned out to be the correct decision. I had many other questions at the time, but Newcastle turned it around, finished the season very, very strongly. [There was also] the impact of Graeme Jones, who's an assistant coach who came in in January, but he was a Bournemouth and is now part of the England management team at the Euros.
– With some players, the relationship really had broken down, and in March there was someone who would certainly have advocated his removal, so there are still some underline tensions there with a few players, but there are some who are loyal to Bruce, and I think it is key that in pre-season they get together and start positively with a positive atmosphere. The issue primarily Steve Bruce has is there is a strong contingent of supporters who will not accept him. He was booed when Newcastle had 10,000 fans back in the final home game of the season, against Sheffield Utd, and he certainly needs a strong start next season for that to change.
March was a difficult month regarding injuries. There was a moment Callum Wilson, Almirón, and Saint-Maximin weren't healthy at the same time, causing severe problems at the offense. Was this a casualty, or in your opinion there was a problem with Newcastle's physical work?
– There are a few issues here. This was the most difficult physical season any footballer has had, back-to-back seasons essentially. Newcastle didn't have a proper pre-season, and so players were physically affected because of that. There were also COVID-19 issues: Saint-Maximin was someone who struggled and had the after-effects of that, got caught with a long COVID, and picked muscle injuries because of it. So I think there are a few different elements here. Some may argue Newcastle's physical work contributed to it, but I think it was just the unfortunate nature of what these players are susceptible to muscle injuries given the way that played and just given the way the season panned out. But having all three in absence at once really was an issue, Newcastle lacked any sort of attacking threat whatsoever, and it was the return of Saint-Maximin in particular that returned the season for the better. He scored and assisted at Burnley, which was the game that gave Newcastle so much-needed momentum – he is absolutely crucial for them as, obviously, Callum Wilson's goals.
Were Newcastle considering at any moment now in the offseason moving to another head coach?
– The answer is no, but there is a caveat to that. No, because Lee Charnley stuck with Steve Bruce in March, he made it clear that he was the manager and they would stick with him, and because he kept Newcastle quite comfortable in the end. There was no move or whatsoever, no desire to change head coach as Newcastle would have to pay him a significant compensation they don't want to.
– So as long as Mike Ashley remains owner, Steve Bruce remains in position.
– The complicating factor in the last eight months is the situation regarding the ownership and the takeover. Newcastle have two ongoing legal cases, one of which is arbitration against the Premier League owners and directors, which is due to take place in July to potentially and finally permit the £305m takeover largely financed by the Saudi Arabian's Public Investment Fund (PIF). If Newcastle were to be taken over by PIF and the rest of the consortium, I think it's highly likely that Steve Bruce would then move on and a new head coach is brought in, but for now, as long as Mike Ashley remains owner, Steve Bruce is going to remain head coach.
Man Utd's Brandom Willams' being linked with the Magpies throughout the last few weeks. Do you have any information regarding that or any other transfer news you may tell us?
– Brandom Williams is a player Newcastle like. They tried to put an inquiry last summer, and in January they would like cover at the full-back positions, so Man Utd's Brandom Williams is someone who interests them. But the primary concern at the moment for Newcastle, in terms of loans, is they would really like a centre-back or a midfielder. They might bring Joe Willock back, but the real priority is to sign a centre-back. They like Man Utd's Axel Tuanzebe, and their top target is Celtic's Kristoffer Ajer. They also like a few other players including Cameron Carter-Vickers, who did Spurs but has been on loan at Bournemouth. So Newcastle are looking to prioritize that position. Brandom Williams may end up coming on loan eventually, but is not a priority position for the team.
What can you tell us about Joelinton's future at Newcastle? Why are we seeing the most expensive player of the club's history not getting so much time onto de field? Is there any rumor of a transfer?
– No doubt Joelinton has had a very difficult time. His fee of £40m was more than double the previous record signing. He was signed by the recruitment team, it wasn't Steve Bruce's signing. Jeolinton was basically given to him, so I think there was an immediate issue there as he wasn't exactly a player Steve Bruce necessarily wanted, and in that sense there wasn't too much thought given to how he would fit into the team: he was brought in to play as a loaded center-forward but hadn't really done that role before. In Hoffenfeim he really struggled in the first season, the goals didn't come.
– He has benefited from Callum Wilson's coming in. He has looked better when alongside him, and certainly did improve in the last few weeks of the season. So I don't think there's much chance of a transfer this summer. Newcastle still want to make this come good as they invested heavily in him. But I still don't think he's a guaranteed starter given that Wilson, Saint-Maximin, and Almirón are on the team and also given the impact Joe Willock had. But Willock as a starter just shows he can have more of an impact, and hopefully Newcastle fans will see a little bit more positively from him in the upcoming season.
Now, looking at the Premier League big picture, there were only four managers sacked during last season – Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Slaven Bilic (West Brom), Chris Wilder (Sheffield Utd), Jose Mourinho (Spurs) –, but we've seen Everton, Wolves, and Palace also looking for new head coaches. Why are we seeing so much fuss in the managers market? Has last season put them in more delicate positions due to COVID-19 consequences (less budget, empty stadiums, etc.)?
– It's a good question. It has become a bit farcical the managerial changes at Everton, Tottenham, and Palace since they were dragged on for a long, long time. A lot of those clubs have struggled to find the right manager in the long term. Palace's slightly different, given Roy Hodgson's age, but Everton and Spurs in particular... Well, at Everton the manager departed unexpectedly, and Spurs appointed basically a man who seems to go away from the values Daniel Levy, the chairman, has put. So I think they just need to find managers who fit in what they're trying to do going forward, how they're trying to instill that into the club.
– COVID probably did have a bit of impact in saving more budget, and I think the empty stadiums had less of an effect: actually, that helped managers as Steve Bruce and others.
We've seen all the Premier League clubs suffering from players sidelined with injuries. Can you tell us why this was so constant and universal during last season?
– We have touched upon this in the earlier question, but I think primarily it was the physical toll of back-to-back seasons during the pandemic: so many games in a short space of time, no time to rest, no pre-season... That certainly had an impact on a lot of the players. If you speak to anyone within football, particularly on the sport's science side, they'll just say the physical demands on the players are extraordinary.
– The coronavirus also had an impact, in general. Players in Newcastle – Saint-Maximin for example – and in other clubs who had COVID-19 were sidelined but then lost fitness because of that as their muscles didn't react particularly well. Newcastle's Federico Fernández had months of issues. Jamaal Lascelles, Saint-Maximin as well. These are the primary reasons I believe in that.
So, after all we've been through and considering the current squad and some potential signings, what are your thoughts about next season for Newcastle? Is there a chance of Bruce turning the tables?
– It is an excellent question. At the moment I think Newcastle will survive next season a little bit more comfortably than they did this season, but I still think they will be in the bottom half.
– I can't see them bridging the gap into the top 10 unless they make some decent signings. Even if they manage to bring Joe Willock back, it would mean Newcastle are only as strong as they finished last season in terms of squad depth and that they got a decent first team. The problem is to go beyond that, and they really struggle in some quarters.
– In terms of Bruce turning the tables, potentially with some results he could be seen a little bit more positively, but I think there are some Newcastle fans that simply aren't going to accept him as manager.
– I think basically his time has run with them, so there will be some fans who I just can't see accepting Bruce. He really does need to start next season strongly if he wants any chance of turning public opinion.
