Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has left the club by mutual consent after spending over two seasons in charge, the club has announced. The announcement of Bruce’s departure from the club has put to bed rumours surrounding his future at the club.
Following the takeover of the club by Saudi Arabia’s PIF 13 days ago, it was evident that the club would require the services of a new manager, but co-owner Amanda Staveley quickly announced that Steve Bruce would remain as Newcastle United manager for their clash against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend which ended in a 3-2 defeat for them at home. It was the veteran manager’s 1000th game of his managerial career.
With the club languishing in 19th place and yet to win a single match in the league this season, the owners and manager have taken the joint decision to relieve Bruce of his duties ahead of the weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace.
Bruce, a lifelong Newcastle fan, has opened up on the difficulty of the job, stating that this might be a good time for him to retire from managing football.
“I think it might be my last job. It has been very, very tough. To never really be wanted, to feel that people wanted me to fail, to read people constantly saying I would fail, that I was useless, a fat waste of space, a tactically inept cabbage head or whatever. From Day 1.”
Graeme Jones will take over on an interim basis for the match against Crystal Palace, after which the club intends to appoints a permanent manager to steer them away from relegation from the Premier League.
Many top managers around Europe have been touted for the job, including former AS Roma and Shaktar Donetsk manager Paulo Fonseca, former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, Liverpool manager Steven Gerrard, former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte and a host of others.
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers and Everton manager (and former Newcastle United manager) Rafael Benitez have already declared themselves unavailable to be appointed as Newcastle United manager after Steve Bruce.
To get their project up and running, Newcastle United’s new owners need to secure the services of a top-quality coach that would get the best out whatever players they bring into the club.
