JOSE’S STILL THE SPECIAL ONE
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NEWCASTLE boss Steve Bruce has hit out at Jose Mourinho’s growing army of critics, insisting he is still the Special One.
The Spurs chief takes his side to St James’ Park tonight still looking for a first league win on Tyneside.
And if he fails it will provide more ammunition for those who claim he has lost his magic touch.
Bruce has endured plenty of flak himself in a managerial career stretching over two decades and a third straight defeat would heighten calls for him to be replaced if the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle goes ahead.
But he is astonished that a serial winner like Mourinho is in the firing
■ line, saying: “If he can get a bit of stick, what chance have we all got?
“He’s managed some of the biggest clubs in the world and won there, yet people still doubt him.
“That’s the industry we now live in. All we do is blow holes in him and I find it remarkable.
“I’ve always got on OK with him and have the hugest respect for what he’s achieved.
“Since he arrived here, he’s been the Special One and he’s still special and lit up the Premier League over the years.”
Bruce has come in for criticism from the Toon Army in recent days for failing to pick Matty Longstaff despite a spate of midfield injuries, including his brother Sean.
At Watford, he preferred Fabian Schar, normally a centre-half, in the middle of the park a decision which did not go down well with fans.
Bruce insists, however, it had little to do with the youngster’s on-going contract wrangle.
He said: “There’s a raging debate out there. Am I not picking him because of the contract situation?
“That’s not necessarily true. Take the contract aside, I played Schar because of his physicality.”