ALL I’M ASKIN’ IS FOR A LITTLE R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Amid all the rancour it’s been forgotten that Bruce won it all as a player and is about to take charge of his 1,000th match as a boss
AMID the storm of managing Newcastle, winning only seven of the last 37 games, fronting up for Mike Ashley, regime change and fan chants against him, there are times when Steve Bruce’s history has been forgotten.
“It is now 1,000 games,” he said. “I played 950-odd as a player. I have been involved for 43 years on the trot, since I was a kid. I won every domestic medal there is... a few times over.”
The short-term arguments, controversy and upheaval may blur what that means. It may warp memories and change reputations. But when Bruce’s career is concluded, it is a record – a longevity – that few, if any, can match.
Even some of his terrace critics on Tyneside will not begrudge him a 1,000th game in the dugout. Bruce is still fighting the fight.
He said: “What you cry out for is a bit of respect. Just a little bit of respect and have some dignity about you. That’s what I have tried to put in place. I will keep my dignity. It has been difficult.
“But I have never given up. I was born and bred here. There is something in me. I wasn’t going down the shipyards (when he was 17). It is still in me.” As a player, Wallsend lad Stephen
Roger Bruce won three Premier League titles (celebrating with Manchester United in 1993, below), three FA Cups, a League Cup and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. He has managed 10 clubs over 22 years, all with their problems and never among the elite.
Has he ever thought about taking a break, walking away? Yes, this summer. He said: “After finishing 12th and 13th and matching the previous manager, I was asking: Can I get any better than this? How do I take the club forward?
“I thought however difficult it is, it’s still a great job. I’m one of 20 managers in the Premier League. I decided to carry on.”
He denied he was simply hanging around to get a pay off reported to be in the region of £8million, saying it was an “awful
question”. “It is not all about money with me,” he said. “I want to be the manager of Newcastle. That is not going to change. Who wouldn’t want to, especially now? I am focusing on Sunday, try to get a result and see what happens after that.”
Bruce says concerns about Saudi human rights abuses that have soured the takeover, including the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, were “for politicians” to deal with. And he is hoping the £305m Saudi -funded deal will eventually put the club “in the elite”. Jurgen Klopp said yesterday the Geordies would become a “superpower”.
And Bruce refused to criticise Ashley, who sold up after 14 years. He said: “I’ll let others judge. For me, I will always thank him for the opportunity to manage this club.”
Instead, he is looking forward to a “ridiculous atmosphere” at St James’ Park tomorrow, “the likes of which we’ve not witnessed in a long time”.
Bruce accepts criticism for his role in Toon’s winless start and said: “If you’re in the bottom six or seven, and you haven’t won all season, then very quickly you become under the pump. We all accept that.
“Results haven’t been good enough. But when it becomes personal, you just cry out for a bit of respect. I understand it at the minute, results haven’t been good enough, so I take that on the chin.
“We all know the job – if you don’t get results then you will be criticised – that’s the nature of the beast.
Callum Wilson, Jamaal Lascelles and Jonjo Shelvey are fit again and leading a squad “who are as excited as the fans”.
Bruce added: “There has been a monumental change and I’m sure they want to prove they want to be part of it, to take the club to a better place. There has been a determination and bristle in training.
“There has been a change in atmosphere everywhere. If they’ve got anything about them, and I’m sure they have, they’ll want to be part of what Newcastle is going forward. That’s the challenge to them.” LINE-UPS: