nbthree3

Newcastle United’s new owners have been forced to start a fresh search for a successor to Steve Bruce after they were left dumbfounded by Unai Emery’s dramatic decision to walk away from a deal the club thought had been agreed. Emery, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal manager, issued a statement declaring that he would stay with Villarreal. This decision came after weeks of negotiations involving the Newcastle director Amanda Staveley and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, whose Saudi-backed consortium took control of the club almost a month ago. The Times has learnt that all of Emery’s wage demands — led by his advisers, which included his brother, Igor — had been met and that a backroom staff had been put together to assist him at Newcastle, who are 19th in the table and six points adrift of safety in the Premier League. In his final interview on Sunday, via Zoom, with Staveley, Ghodoussi, the club chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, a representative of Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund (PIF) that owns 80 per cent of the club, and the co-owner Jamie Reuben, the 50-year-old Spaniard spoke of his passion for the job and how he would reorganise the team’s defence, and indicated his willingness to leave Villarreal. “He said all the right things on Sunday,” revealed a source. Indeed the Newcastle board members were so confident that they had landed the replacement for Bruce, who was sacked on October 17, that they were prepared to fly Emery to the North East and push back first team training to accommodate his arrival. They were also committed to paying the €6 million (about £5.08 million) buyout clause in his Villarreal contract. However, there was a dramatic change of mood on Tuesday night after Emery’s Villarreal side had beaten Young Boys in the Champions League. Emery was made aware of how much speculation there had been about his impending return to England and the win helped to calm the mood of the club’s fans. He met Fernando Roig, the Villarreal president, to discuss his future and the club’s new project that has led to the signings of Arnaut Danjuma and Serge Aurier. In what has been described as a long night, Emery talked about all of his options before spending time with family — he was worried about the impact on them — and friends to further assess his next move, having left England scarred by his treatment at Arsenal. There was a significant push for him to stay and to avoid taking on the Newcastle project at its very start, when there is no footballing management structure inside the club, as of yet. That was a problem he blamed for his failure and sacking at Arsenal, although it is believed the issue was addressed during his interview process. One Spanish source said: “Because of all the noise and the insecurity he felt on the Newcastle project, he went with what he thinks is a common sense decision.” The appointment of Newcastle’s new manager is the responsibility of Staveley, her husband and a board that includes Al-Rumayyan. The surprise at such a late change of heart from Emery was such that they were still trying to salvage the deal late on Wednesday morning. Emery, who has won 11 major trophies in his managerial career, admitted he had already held talks with Newcastle on Tuesday night. On Wednesday afternoon he released a statement. “Honestly, I am grateful for the interest of a great club, but even more grateful to be here,” he said. “That is why I communicated to Fernando Roig my decision to continue being part of this project, thanks to the commitment and respect that I feel from the club and my players, which is mutual and reciprocal. For all the noise there was in another country, inside the club there was transparency and loyalty which for me is the most important thing. Villarreal is my home and I am 100 per cent committed.” That decision means Newcastle must begin their managerial search again. The former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe was also interviewed at the weekend, and was said to have impressed, highlighting areas of recruitment that the club needed to change. Roberto Martínez, the Belgium manager, retains support and is believed to be interested in returning to club football. It is thought that the interim Newcastle manager, Graeme Jones, who has worked with Martínez at Wigan and Everton and with Belgium, will remain in charge to take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. Newcastle have taken only one point from the three games since the £305 million takeover on October 7, when Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund (PIF) took an 80 per cent holding. Newcastle have still to put in place a management structure, although The Times understands that Brian Marwood, the managing director of global football at Manchester City, has been sounded out about a possible sports director role. He is thought to want any moves to go through the correct channels between the clubs. Newcastle have still to win a game this season — the joint second-worst start to a top-flight season in the club’s history.

Had a look through and it was pretty much everything Craig Hope said on Tuesday. But he's been convinced after the game and fair enough, time to look elsewhere

Arguably it'd be worse if Charnley wasn't there. If the management of the consortium has been shambolic (and remember PIF are keeping an eye on how Staveley etc perform in case Saudi representatives need to be appointed to handle the club for them), can't imagine what it'd be like without a transitional figure.

Tomorrow will be a big day then

Meet the players on Thursday if possible

New follow-up from earlier - beyond the "Al-Rumayyan was there" line I don't think anything else is new

Staveley and co should recommend this week to PIF their manager (and sporting director with any luck) choice. Hopefully a manager by the weekend so movement in the next few days

Wait it out, I don't think there's been any links confirming Martinez is a favourite but similar to Emery he's been in the discussions throughout in the background

Meanwhile

Snippet from this https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10154213/Aston-Villa-make-informal-contact-Paulo-Fonseca-pressure-mounting-Dean-Smith.html The 48-year-old was in talks with Spurs in the summer and spoke to Newcastle about their vacancy. But the Magpies’ new owners are looking instead at Villarreal’s Unai Emery and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez. They want to appoint a new boss before the trip to Brighton on Saturday.

Villa after Fonseca... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10154213/Aston-Villa-make-informal-contact-Paulo-Fonseca-pressure-mounting-Dean-Smith.html Aston Villa have sounded out Paulo Fonseca as they consider potential replacements for under-pressure boss Dean Smith. Sportsmail understands that informal contact has been made with the representatives of the Portuguese coach and sources believe Smith is on borrowed time after four straight losses. The word out of Villa Park last week was that the hierarchy, led by chief executive Christian Purslow, remain supportive of the manager. But the contact with out-of-work Fonseca indicates that candidates are being explored in the event of Smith going. The 48-year-old was in talks with Spurs in the summer and spoke to Newcastle about their vacancy. But the Magpies’ new owners are looking instead at Villarreal’s Unai Emery and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez. They want to appoint a new boss before the trip to Brighton on Saturday.

And also Hope did mention Favre, Martinez and Emery as the three names so would make sense. Caulkin this evening too saying again he's heard it isn't Fonseca

^^ Does mention "one of the few names" so if there's others that aren't mentioned maybe they'll reveal themselves

Mirror going with the Emery line - and not quoting another article crucially https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/newcastle-new-manager-unai-emery-25352368 Newcastle plan to announce their new manager this week with Unai Emery emerging as the latest leading contender. Ex-Arsenal boss Emery, who lifted the Europa League last season with Villareal, has been one of the few names to gain support across the ownership structure. Others, including Paulo Fonseca, Roberto Martinez and Lucien Favre and Eddie Howe, have all split opinion.

Matter of time for the announcement

Thought that was a dig at people being melodramatic thinking 'the season's a write-off already and we're down without a manager even being appointed to change things'

Same goes for S. Longstaff

"back to Rafa's failures" he wasn't a failure when Rafa had him so you can't call him one of his failures... isn't his fault he was mismanaged after that

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/new-newcastle-manager-ten-hag-25338315 Newcastle's new owners will have to launch a ­compelling charm offensive to lure Ajax coach Erik ten Hag to Tyneside. Ten Hag is refusing to comment on suggestions that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund want him to become Toon boss following their £300million takeover at St James’ Park. PIF also have their sights on Ajax’s highly rated sporting ­director Marc Overmars. But a well-placed source said: “Will it be Champions League or Championship? That is the ­question that bothers Ten Hag. “Right now he is top of the group with Ajax in the Champions League and he can be sure of taking them into the knockout stages in 2022.”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10148509/Newcastle-forced-stick-Sports-Direct-sponsor-new-owners-hope-signs-removed-soon.html Newcastle United's new owners have been forced to keep Sports Direct signage up inside St James’ Park due to legal clauses inserted by former owner Mike Ashley ahead of the club’s sale. The clauses mean the new Saudi owners have not be able to remove the ads but after the takeover led by British businesswoman Amanda Staveley (below) hopes remain they will come down in the ‘short-term’. They were still evident during yesterday’s match against Chelsea. The sponsorship agreement between Ashley’s sports retailer and Newcastle United runs to the end of the season.