Bruce a Golden reJect
STEVE BRUCE celebrated landing the Wolves job with champagne – only to be told a few hours later the chairman had changed his mind.
Newcastle chief Bruce has TWICE been in the running to take charge at Molineux – and at one point had “shook hands” on taking the job.
As he prepared to face Nuno Espirito Santo’s side today, Bruce recalled how a remarkable about-turn denied him a crack at the Midlands club, seven-and-a-half years ago.
Bruce said: “When Mick McCarthy left, I thought I had it.
“I had shook hands with the owner at the time, Steve Morgan. I was going to see him the next day, and I thought everything was done.
“I was out of work after Sunderland, it was February 2012, it was my anniversary and I took my wife to see War Horse thinking that we’d got a job.
“We had a glass of champagne afterwards as well! The paperwork was done, I just had to sign it. I thought I was going there.
“Then the chairman rang me at midnight and he said, ‘I’ve changed my mind, Terry Connor has galvanised the training ground’.”
Then in the summer of 2016 Wolves were back in for Bruce again, after he’d quit his job at Hull City. Bruce said: “I went to meet Wolves in London. But they gave it to Walter Zenga.
“It’s amazing the twists and turns – Wolves is one might-have-been.”
And as he prepares his side to face Wanderers today, Bruce rates winger Allan Saint-Maximin (above) crucial to Newcastle’s chances – despite him racking up the club fines.
The Frenchman keeps getting taxed £100 a time by Bruce for forgetting to take his earrings out for training. Bruce said: “He’s only 22 and he’s got more outfits than I’ve seen in most. He likes an earring.
“In that respect I’ve got a few quid off him already. The players like him. He’s daft, off the wall and likeable.”
Saint-Maximin, signed for £20million from Nice in August, must keep a hamstring problem at bay to be a regular.
Bruce added: “He’s the one we can rely upon to do something different.
“The goal we scored against Man United he picked it up and drove forward and beat four of them. He is a threat. Time will tell.”