Newcastle have confirmed Steve Bruce will be in charge of the team against Tottenham on Sunday.
There has been intense speculation over Bruce’s future at St James’ Park since the completion of a Saudi-led takeover of the club last week.
But the Magpies said on Friday the 60-year-old would be in the dugout in what will be his 1,000th game as a manager.
🗣 "We have had an extremely busy week reviewing the business and getting to know people and it is imperative that we continue to be patient and considered in our approach."— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) October 15, 2021
Club director Amanda Staveley said: “We have had an extremely busy week reviewing the business and getting to know people and it is imperative that we continue to be patient and considered in our approach.
“Change does not always happen overnight, it demands time and that we follow a carefully considered plan and strategy.
“We met Steve and the players on Monday and have given them the time and space this week to focus on preparing for what is a very important game on Sunday.
“Steve has been very professional in our dealings with him and he and his coaching team will take the team on Sunday. If we make any changes going forward, Steve will be the first to know but, in the meantime, we wish him the best of luck in his 1,000th match as a manager and will be joining you in getting right behind the team.
“Thank you for the warm welcome you have given us. We can’t wait to be at St James’ Park with you.”
The takeover of the club, which sees Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) take an 80 per cent stake, has been hugely controversial not least because of the country’s human rights record.
Amnesty International has urged Newcastle fans, players and staff to study that record in the months ahead.
The world’s leading human rights organisation is also hoping that a forthcoming fan-led review strengthens the owners’ and directors’ test, which has again been brought into sharp focus by the Newcastle takeover.
Amnesty International has described the reported £305million deal as “an extremely bitter blow for human rights defenders”.
Ahead of Newcastle’s first Premier League game since the takeover, Amnesty International UK’s CEO Sacha Deshmukh told the PA news agency: “Whatever the result on Sunday, we wish Newcastle fans and their team well, but we remain deeply concerned about how our football clubs are being used for sportswashing.
“Football clubs being purchased for the purpose of trying to distract from serious human rights violations isn’t confined to Newcastle, and sportswashing isn’t confined to football – but the Saudi takeover has obviously brought the issue of human rights and football governance into sharp relief.
“Despite assurances about a supposed separation from the Saudi state, ownership of St James’ Park is now very much about image management for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his government.
“As the season progresses we hope fans, players and Newcastle United backroom staff will look seriously at the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia and be prepared to speak out about the jailing of people like Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, whose 20-year sentence for tweeting was upheld just hours before the Newcastle deal went through.
“We’d like to see Tracey Crouch’s forthcoming review into football governance accepting the case for strengthening the owners’ and directors’ rules, to make them human rights-compliant and prevent those implicated in serious human rights violations from buying their way into English football.”
The Premier League approved Newcastle’s takeover after receiving “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control the club.
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, is listed as chair of PIF, but the Premier League was satisfied the state would have no dealings with the club.
