BRUCE NEEDS TIME TO GET US GOING – DUB
KEEPER SAYS PLAYERS ARE STILL ADAPTING TO LIFE UNDER NEW BOSS
All Newcastle United need under Steve Bruce is time.
That’s the view of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka ahead of tomorrow’s televised home game against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Steve Bruce’s side, beaten 3-1 by Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, have four points from their opening five fixtures.
“We’re working hard,” said Dubravka, who is “close” to signing a new deal at the club.
“It’s going the right way. It’s just taking some time. Obviously, you could see (against Liverpool) a couple of good situations.
“We changed, a little bit, the style of play (since) we played against Norwich (when they lost 3-1), because that was not the best game for ourselves. After that we realised we need to change, a little bit, our style. We’re more compact now. We’re trying to keep the ball when we have a chance to keep it.”
Bruce succeeded Rafa Benitez at St James’s Park in July, and the players are still “adapting” to his methods. And the team will improve over time, according to Dubravka.
“It’s a new manager,” said Slovakia international. “It’s a new situation for everybody – every player. We need to adapt. He’s explaining what he wants from us, so it’s a new situation and what we can do is adapt.”
There was a backlash on Tyneside to the departure of Benitez, who guided the club to a 13th-placed finish in the Premier League last season.
Dubravka, however, believes that things remain “positive” at Newcastle following a turbulent summer at St James’s Park.
“It is positive,” said the 30-year-old. “There were so many positives, as well, before, I think.
“The main thing was that people were focused on the negative things.
“As players, we can only do what we can do on the pitch. Put everything in. I can say that all of use are working to improve every day, every training. That’s all we can do. I have to say I’m still proud of my team-mates, because they are trying to do their best.”
*Former England and Newcastle forward Peter Beardsley has been suspended from all football-related activity after being found guilty of making racist comments by an independent regulatory commission.
The 58-year-old, who denied the allegations, left his role as the Magpies' Under23s coach earlier this year after an internal investigation and has now been banned from the game by the Football Association for 32 weeks until April next year.
An FA statement read: "An independent Regulatory Commission has suspended Peter Beardsley from all football and football-related activity for a period of 32 weeks until 29 April 2020."