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Opinion

Steve Bruce and Alex Bruce should look in the mirror – “Toxic and poisonous”

3 years ago
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“Now I’ve kept real quiet til now, but I’ll tell you something, he went down in my estimation when he said that… I tell ya, you can tell him now if he’s watching (*reading) this.”

I feel compelled, as a fan and someone from the north east, to write my thoughts down about Steve Bruce.

He’s managed an incredible achievement this season. Lazy, antagonistic pundits will have you think that achievement is dragging Newcastle out of the relegation battle he got them into, to the lofty heights of 12th in the league.

This incredible achievement is that after 14 years of Mike Ashley, of embarrassing stories, stadium name changes, treatment of Jonas Gutierrez, two relegations, Pardew, Carver, Kinnear… and I could go on and on and on… after 14 years, I have never been as ashamed to be a Newcastle fan than during this last six months of Steve Bruce’s reign as manager.

Now it’s not necessarily because of the results, even though I honestly can’t bring myself to watch Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United anymore because they are absolutely abysmal. With what can only be described as nonsensical tactics, bizarre team selections, and a brand / style of football that’s seen my dental insurance go through the roof, it’s not even the worst of it.

Well done Graeme Jones by the way, on making the results in the last 6-8 games at least palatable.

No, what I can’t stomach is the way Steve Bruce conducts himself as manager of Newcastle United. Misleading, excuses, and doing all of these things while pretending to be ‘one of us’ at the same time, I have found to be damn right insulting.:

Going on talksport and insulting fans

Excuses, failure to take responsibility

No pride, no ambition.

Talks down to fans. Has he done one press conference without doing this?

Banning journalists for telling the truth.

Awful brand of football… doesn’t have to be super entertaining, just not suicidal.

Results have been for the most part, rubbish as well

Steve Bruce, and his weird son for that matter, have shown their true colours when it comes to Craig Hope – a guy who has only reported the truth at Newcastle United. For Bruce and his weird son to try and paint a picture that Hope is out to get Bruce or Newcastle United sums them up. Sorry Steve, but does Craig Hope pick the team? Does he give the lads more days off than other clubs? Does he fight with the players? Mislead the fans?

Steve Bruce has been a devastating appointment for the football club.

The sad thing for Bruce, is that this is all self-inflicted. I actually don’t think that most people despise him because of his track record as a manager, even though statistically he is the worst in Premier League history. I believe most people can’t stand Bruce because the way he conducts himself in an ignorant, aggressive, arrogant manner – with his off the cuff comments about fans, victim mentality, excuses, and general disdain for the future of the football club. Whilst I’m sure there will be some fans who think he’s not that bad, or he deserves credit for avoiding the unimaginable disaster that he nearly created, I loathe the guy.

It is the same reason why I loathe Yohan Cabaye and Michael Owen but love James Perch or Antoine Sibierski.

There is no respect for fans from Steve Bruce. Complete disregard for honesty and the proper way to do things. His latest comments, about doubters eating humble pie, is beyond infuriating.

At the bottom end of the table, this has been the worst season ever, 29 points to stay up is the lowest EVER needed in the Premier League era (that’s how bad the competition has been in 20-21). Yet Bruce taking NUFC to safety with two games remaining is an excuse to throw ‘humble pie’ at fans. Give me a break, what a charlatan.

For further reference, the second lowest points total needed to stay up was in 2004-05, where 34 points kept you up. That season, all three teams relegated (Palace, Norwich, Southampton) would have stayed up in 20-21 by at least 4 points.

The most toxic and poisonous thing at Newcastle United right now is Steve Bruce. Nothing has got better, only worse. The team has not improved in two years, despite decent investment compared to previous years. I honestly can’t think of a player that Bruce has improved. On the other hand you have the likes of Manquillo, Lascelles, Longstaffs, Shelvey, Almiron who have all got progressively worse.

Apologies for not remembering the account I saw it at but I saw the following on twitter the other day, which I thought was especially good in reference to Steve Bruce.

“The expert at lowering the bar, then praising himself for achieving it.”

Steve Bruce has not performed miracles in taking a squad that is probably somewhere between 12th and 9th, into a relegation battle, getting them out the relegation battle and finishing 12th. All with an attitude and brand of football that absolutely stinks.

Steve Bruce is not a good manager, he’s just not an absolutely terrible one. He is however, a terrible PL manager. With a win percentage of 31.8% at Newcastle United – lower than his time at any other club (except for Sunderland where it is 29%) – how Bruce and his weird son can sit there gloating in the faces of fans is staggering.

Sure, Ashley is the real problem but no other person has given me such disdain towards listening to a game, watching highlights, or looking at social media than Steve Bruce.

Sure, Mike Ashley is the disease, Steve Bruce is the symptom.

Steve Bruce is the most disliked coach the club has had in my lifetime by some distance. When you factor in the last 14 years of ownership under Mike Ashley, I would love for just one pundit, Steve Bruce himself, or his weird son, to ask themselves, ‘hmm I wonder why that is?’

(You can follow Jonathan on Twitter @_jonathandc)

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