A lawyer is representing Newcastle United’s son Alex Bruce following his father Steve’s dismissal. The club have won just four of their last 21 Premier League games, but supporters are divided over whether the decision to dismiss Steve was justified or not
There have been no negotiations concerning Steve Bruce’s future with the club, according to him.
According to his son Alex Bruce, Steve Bruce has been the “fall man” at Newcastle, and it has been “very terrible to see” the vitriol aimed at him.
On Sunday, the Newcastle manager will take command of his 1,000th match as a manager when the Magpies host Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park.
The Magpies are playing for the first time since their contentious £305 million acquisition.
Steve Bruce took over as manager of his hometown club in 2019, but according to his son, he has “been pummeled from the time he came in the door.”
“It’s been difficult. I wouldn’t lie and say it hasn’t; it’s been quite difficult to witness the criticism “Alex Bruce told the Football Daily program on Radio 5 Live.
“I believe the lack of respect that has been given to him since he got the position, considering he’s done 1,000 games, has been incredible.”
Amanda Staveley, a new Newcastle part-owner, stated on Friday that Bruce would remain in charge for Sunday’s Premier League match at St James’ Park and that she will be the “first to know” if anything changes.
The Magpies have yet to win this season and are now ranked 18th on the standings. Former Borussia Dortmund manager Lucien Favre, Rangers’ Steven Gerrard, and ex-Chelsea manager Frank Lampard have all been mentioned as possible Bruce successors by the club’s new owners.
“A lot of things have been said about my father, and I feel a bit naff standing up for him, but I would honestly say for anyone who has done 999 games as a manager, 980-odd as a player, to see certain individuals question his integrity, his professionalism, his ability as a manager, questioning things like his warm-ups, his substitutions… they all make mistakes, but hasn’t he not deserved a crack?” Alex Bruce added.
“He’s never got the chance to manage a team that can go out and spend money properly.” He has managed Premier League clubs such as Wigan Athletic, Birmingham City, and Hull City… Do people really anticipate big win percentages when you’re managing teams like that? His victory ratio in the Premier League has been questioned several times.
“No, I don’t believe so. I believe that a level-headed and intelligent individual considers the larger picture. I believe he has done an excellent job at all of the teams he has managed, and I believe he is deserving of a chance. It’s been difficult to witness some of the contempt he’s received.”
‘I understand how important Newcastle is to him.’
Steve Bruce has guided Newcastle to 13th and 12th place finishes in the Premier League after taking over from Rafael Benitez in July 2019.
Mike Ashley’s 14-year reign as owner of the Magpies came to an end last week with the completion of a Saudi Arabian-backed buyout.
Former Ipswich, Leeds, and Hull defender Alex Bruce says he anticipated the heat from the start. Steve Bruce has been under growing criticism in recent weeks, and a big majority of supporters want the 60-year-old to quit the club.
“From the day he accepted the position, he knew that was going to be the case,” he added. “He had an owner who was attempting to sell the club, and he had an owner who didn’t want to invest any money into the club for a variety of reasons; he could only utilize the money the club earned, and with the pandemic, there was no money.”
“During the past transfer window, he attempted to bolster the team. They sorely needed defensive reinforcements, and I believe he was angry that he couldn’t provide them, so there were a lot of factors that made the task tough.
“He’s been the scapegoat. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told him, “Why don’t you let someone else do the press?” ‘Because I’m the manager, it’s my duty,’ he explains.”
Newcastle finished 10th and 13th in the Premier League in Benitez’s two full seasons in charge, and Alex Bruce feels the Spaniard was treated with more respect for his achievements.
“Dad’s ended about the same, but one has been hailed as a saviour while the other has been beaten from the time he came in the door, which has been the most painful thing for me to see since he’s a Geordie,” he added.
“I know what Newcastle means to him as a person, regardless of what others think.” He used to sneak under the turnstiles and stand there with his father when he was a youngster, and he’s always been a fan of the club.
“No matter what you think of my father, he cares a lot about the club, and he understands better than anybody that this new ownership was necessary, and trust me, he is overjoyed that it has happened, not only for the football club, but also for the city and the fans.”
