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NEWCASTLE co-owner Amanda Staveley has claimed Steve Bruce “didn’t even want to come to work” before he left the club.
Bruce left St James’ Park shortly after her arrival after two years as manager.
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The Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Staveley and the Reuben brothers bought Newcastle from Mike Ashley for £300million in October 2021.
PIF owns 80 per cent of the Magpies while Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi hold a six per cent stake.
They swiftly replaced Bruce with Eddie Howe, handing the lifelong Magpies fan a mammoth £8million pay-out.
Bruce lasted one game in charge under the new owners, a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham. And Staveley appeared to question Bruce’s professionalism, claiming he didn’t want to work before finally being given the chop.
She had been speaking at the Bloomberg Power Players’ Summit in Jeddah.
On the state of Newcastle when they arrived, she said: “There needed to be dramatic change because the club had been run in a very different format.
“We had few commercial revenues, we had a team that was aging, a fan base that was angry, and a coach who basically didn’t even want to come to work. We had to inject it with life.”
Staveley also believes there will be a Saudi club in the Champions League “before long”.
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The rapid growth of the Saudi Pro League has led to suggestions that their champions could feature in Europe’s leading competition, which will expand to 36 clubs next season.
Staveley explained: “I’m quite sure there will be a Saudi club in the Champions League before long. Knowing Saudi, I don’t think it will take too long.”
Asked if she could buy a stake in a Saudi club, Staveley added: “I think that would be a lovely idea!
“It would be a fantastic opportunity. I love the league and I’ve seen it develop. It’s really exciting to see the competition really growing.”
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