Former Newcastle United defender Federico Fernandez insists players never discussed human rights issues at the time of the club’s Saudi takeover

September 6, 2023 Sports 2 Views

When Mike Ashley sold Newcastle United to a Saudi-led consortium for £305m in October 2021 it shone a huge spotlight on the club. Many questions were raised including how Saudi Arabia’s human rights record might reflect on everyone associated with the club.

But inside the Newcastle United dressing room, players avoided the subject. “We tried to focus on the thing that we love and we do as professionals, which is playing football,” explains defender Federico Fernandez who was captain for Newcastle’s final game under Ashley. “We put enough energy in at the training ground. The other things were obviously what other people were looking at – they needed to talk about that, not us.”

Fernandez was part of the club’s leadership group at the time of the takeover and contracted as a Newcastle player for the first nine months of the new ownership era on Tyneside. “No one in the squad knew what was coming next,” he says, recalling the days after news that the Premier League had green-lit a takeover process that had formally begun in April 2020.

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The first game under new owners was a home fixture vs Tottenham, but one of the most surprising elements was the fact Steve Bruce remained in charge for ten days, despite fans calling for his removal. “Steve was just doing his job, trying to be professional until the last day.”

He was finally sacked three days after the Tottenham game. Eddie Howe replaced him and immediately changed the approach at the club. “Eddie wanted an intense team who played high, wanted the ball and played direct football. All the training sessions were very detailed – it was demanding stuff, really well organised and good preparation. It was quick for us, the first couple of weeks, to understand what he wanted and how the training would be. You needed to adapt quickly.”

Despite the emphasis on speed, the club’s fortunes didn’t really turnaround until the end of November when they earned a hard fought point vs relegation rivals Norwich, despite being down to ten-men for 81 minutes of the game.

“Eddie said after the game that he saw something in us – that we were still fighting, even in tough situations,” recalls Fernandez

Federico Fernandez

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The game was significant as it saw Joelinton transition from mis-firing striker to all-action midfielder. He earned man of the match, and hasn’t played up front since.

“After that he was the new Pirlo!” laughs Fernandez. “Joey came as a No.9, then played on the wing, but he has the physicality to run big distances. He’s Brazilian, so he has the quality. For me, football is about moments. It was crazy, because it was a tactical move that Eddie made because of that game, but that moment was so beautiful to see.”

The real turning point for Newcastle happened in January 2022. They narrowly beat relegation rivals Leeds on the road, then flew to Saudi Arabia for a team bonding week. It drew accusations of sports washing from Amnesty International.

Federico Fernandez

(Image credit: Getty Images)

From a technical perspective, the trip had a positive impact on Newcastle’s on-pitch performances when they returned to Premier League action. Winning six games out of seven during this period, they moved 10 points clear of relegation.

“It helped us get to know each other more,” says Fernandez of the Saudi trip. “We played some matches during the night, had competitions, enjoyed the good weather, did activities together, we played some golf. It always helps, a couple of days away in a country that we wouldn’t have probably gone to before. It surprised us in a good way. They treated us really well and we felt very welcomed. It was nice to see the owners over there and share a good moment with them.”

The wins saw a new ritual born. A team photograph was taken in the dressing room after every victory. “It was something that Eddie wanted to do when we won, to take a photo together in the changing room,” explains Fernandez. “He told us in that moment what we were doing and why – to celebrate a nice moment with a picture of everyone involved. Physios, kit men, everyone.”

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Newcastle finished mid-table in 2021-22 and Fernandez left in the summer. He signed for Elche in La Liga but played only once. After that he moved to Qatari side Al-Duhail where he played under fellow Argentinan Hernan Crespo.

After a spell as a free agent he returned home to Argentina in August 2023 to sign with Estudiantes where he began his career in 2008.