Emery: Dani’s has got Real guts..
STEVE BRUCE has a cabinet laden with some of football’s greatest prizes and a managerial CV stretching back two decades.
But for all the titles and cups won during his illustrious playing career at Manchester United and the promotions achieved with Birmingham and Hull, a nagging vacuum remained in his sporting odyssey.
At around 1.57pm t his afternoon, that void will be no more.
The 58-year-old Geordie will finally have fulfilled one of his greatest ambitions when he emerges from the St James’ Park tunnel, clad in the tracksuit of his boyhood club and turns sharp right to take his place in the home dug-out.
Excited
The Old Trafford legend and former Sunderland manager will finally have come home.
He said: “I didn’t think you could get excited when you get to my age. But it will be one of the real highlights of my career. Forty years and it’s right up there.”
Bruce famously turned the job down after Sir Bobby Robson’s sacking and feared he would rue that decision until the day he dies.
That’s why, despite leaving DANI CEBALLOS may look lightweight but Arsenal’s on-loan Real Madrid ace is as hard as nails, according to Unai Emery.
And the Gunners supremo reckons the Spain international, 23, is a Sheffield Wednesday in the lurch when he answered Newcastle’s call last month, his sense of guilt is swallowed up by raw emotion.
He added: “I came close to signing in 1986 the year before I joined Manchester United, and as manager, when Sir Bobby left.
“I didn’t take it then, regretted it and thought I’d regret it forever more.
“So it really was now or never.”
Talking for the first time of the moment he was told the Toon job was his for the taking, he recalls the conversation that would change his life.
“My lawyer is quite reserved,” he said. “Typical lawyer, no real sense of humour about him!
“And when he picked up the phone, I did say to him, “Matthew, are you taking the p** s out of me?”
“He said, ‘No, I’ve got to ask you if you’d be interested.’
“I was in Portugal trying to prepare another team.
“I said: ‘Is it for real?’ and he said, ‘Ye ‘Yeah, they want to talk to you and meet u up as quickly as t they possibly can’.
“It happened like that, within 24 hours. Quite remarkable”
Three weeks on and Bruce has s plashed out almost £70million shining example of what he expects from his squad.
Dedication, determination, and an unwavering desire to be involved in the thick of the action is Emery’s mantra.
He saw these very traits in Ceballos (right) a week ago when, during a fiery on five new players with owner Mike Ashley backing him in a way which would make some of his predecessors very envious.
The spending spree won’t prevent thousands of fans protesting outside the ground today and watching the match in city centre pubs rather than taking their seats inside.
The dissenters vow that so l ong as Ashley owns the club, they won’t be heading back.
But there’s no denying the feelgood factor is starting to return, unthinkable a few weeks ago when Rafa Benitez walked away, fed up with his employer’s lack of ambition.
It will be one of the real highlights of my career. Forty years and it’s right up there
Bruce will have plenty of family members in attendance today.
“My brothers, sisters, nieces and my sister-in-law will be there,” he said. “It’s a fair clan.
“And as for tickets, I didn’t know I still had so many old friends!”
The Geordie theme runs through the dressing room as well as the stands with returning hero Andy Carroll joining fellow locals Paul Dummett, the Longstaff brothers and the gaffer as Tyneside-raised.
“Bring it on,” declared Bruce. “Can we have a Geordie XI? To be a Geordie and play for Newcastle is the highlight.
“There’s nothing like throwing a local one in because the fans associate with them straight away and they can connect.
“The more, the merrier.” pre-season clash with Barcelona, the Bernabeu youngster was subjected to some savage treatment at the hands of his parent club’s bitter rivals.
Despite the bruising encounter, Arsenal’s exciting summer capture reported for training just
Tickets
24 hours later. Impressed Emery said: “Ceballos’ mind is very strong, his mentality. Last Sunday when he received a big kick on his ankle I was thinking: ‘Pfff, it’s broken’.
“But after, on Monday, he was back in training, saying: ‘I’m fine and want