BRUCIE ONUS
Waddle: This will be toughest gig yet
CHRIS WADDLE has warned Steve Bruce that the Newcastle job is “a massive challenge’’.
Like former England winger
Waddle, Bruce is ready to find out how it feels on either side of the north-east divide with bitter rivals
Sunderland.
Waddle had a short spell with the Black Cats in 1997 after
Newcastle launched him to stardom in the 1980s – and he was roundly booed by Toon fans when he returned to St James’ Park with
Sunderland.
Now Bruce, who managed the
Mackems from 2009 to 2011, will turn his back on Sheffield
Wednesday – another of Waddle’s old clubs – to succeed Rafa
Benitez as Magpies boss.
It has always been
Northumberland- born Bruce’s ambition to manage the club he supported as a boy.
But he is walking into a storm on Tyneside as fans vent their fury at Newcastle owner Mike Ashley for failing to agree a new contract with Benitez, who has taken charge of Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang.
Surprised
And Waddle stressed: “It’s a massive challenge. Newcastle are a massive club, but he’s having to follow Benitez, who has been one of the most popular managers they’ve had.
“He’s got his work cut out – it’s the biggest job he’s taken on.
“He’s highly- regarded at
Wednesday and the fans have taken him to. They had a good run towards the end of last season and he nearly got them into the playoffs. Four or five more wins and they might have been in the top six.
“Everybody is expecting good things from Wednesday. They’re in pre-season and have been to
Portugal and look fit, sharp and ready to go.
“So to go and speak to
Newcastle, a lot of people are taking a step back and saying, ‘Why’? They’ll be upset he wants to leave.
“I’m surprised. He was starting to build a team gearing up for the
Premier League.
“With Newcastle, they’ve lost
Salomon Rondon and Ayoze
Perez, and there’s only a short time before the first game of the season.’’
Former Manchester United skipper Bruce has been frustrated to miss out on the Newcastle post in the past, but Waddle added: “I would ld h have thought h hm Man U United id would have been the job he has always wanted.
“He’s managed Sunderland, which the Newcastle fans will pick up on very quickly. But I don’t think he’s scared of a challenge.
“He’s had success at a few clubs and d not so much h success at others. h
But I like the bloke and he talks a lot of sense, and wants his players to work hard.
“He knows the Geordie public, which will stand him in good stead, but it’s a massive challenge.
If he keeps Newcastle up, he will have done well.
“But he’s not daft and he’s been around the block.
“If things don’t work out, he’ll be expecting a lot of pressure from the supporters and the owner.’’