Former hero Bez: Bruce’s side haven’t Been very entertaining – but they should stay up
JOHN Beresford is confident that Newcastle United will stay in the Premier League this season – but insists this season has been far from pretty.
The popular former defender – who was voted the club’s best ever leftback by fans during United’s 125thanniversary celebrations – believes that Steve Bruce has carried out the job he was asked to do by Mike Ashley with a low bar set by the Magpies in terms of simply surviving.
All of it is a far cry from the titlechallenging days of the Entertainers but Bez hopes that one day those hopes can return.
Beresford helped set up the Show Racism the Red Card scheme in Newcastle during the successful Entertainers era alongside Shaka Hislop.
The popular full-back has always been involved with the community and, 25 years on, the scheme is still going strong, hence a Zoom session with youngsters at Westgate Community College this week.
When asked during the session if United will go down, Beresford said: “It could happen – but it won’t happen. It won’t. That’s my opinion, the bottom three will go down.
“Callum Wilson is a massive injury.
He’s the one who’d get you a goal and would win you a game on his own.
“But I think Newcastle only need to win three or four more games.
“Fulham winning against Everton was a bit of a shock, but as I say the bottom three will go down.
“West Brom are finished, Sheff United will pick up a result here and there but their home form has been killed by lack of supporters. Newcastle will survive but it won’t have been the best season for supporters watching. Steve Bruce is there to do a job – and that job is to keep them in the Premier League.”
Much has been made of the struggles at St James’ Park with Newcastle taking the step of bringing in Graeme Jones as coach to assist Bruce.
When asked the motives of Jones’ appointment, by broad- cast journalist Andy Kerr, Beresford added: “Rumour mongering is always going to be there when a new coach comes in. People will ask: ‘Why do you need a coach when there’s one there?’
“Time will tell and if Newcastle stay up they will say it was a great decision. If they go down it will have been disastrous.
“I think from Steve’s point of view, he sets his team up to be hard to beat but get results on the break. It’s not the greatest spectacle to watch but hopefully he will look to take the handbrake off and get the team to play with more openness. He’s got to keep going down that road.
“Look at Leeds, they go for it but know they will win enough games to stay up. What you don’t want is to be caught between a rock and a hard place and be too defensive.
“They need the solidity but when they do break they have to allow people to join in. Keep your shape by all means and have one defensive midfielder, but you have to have a go.
“Because if you don’t he will finish up being caught by the teams behind you.”
And discussing the pros and cons of bringing in a coach mid-season, Beresford went on: “It’s a different voice and a different eye. Steve needs to be confident in him though because for me the buck stops with Steve Bruce. If you get a bad result it’s Steve Bruce’s fault, if you get a good result people might say is it the new coach coming in?
“That’s a decision Steve has to live with. If it keeps them up it’s a good decision.”
If Newcastle stay up they will say it
was a great decision. If they go down it will have been disastrous
John Beresford