What YOU think of Steve Bruce and the job he’s done
SECOND PART OF THIS YEAR’S BIG TOON SURVEY SHOWS: MAJORITY THOUGHT UNITED MATCHED UP TO EXPECTATIONS BRUCE STILL HAS WORK TO DO IF HE’S TO WIN FANS OVER FOUR-FIFTHS SAID CAMPAIGN EITHER AVERAGE OR POOR MAJORITY EXPECT ANOTHER BOTTOM-HALF FINISH – BU
THERE are things Newcastle United fans are certain of at the moment.
Our biggest ever Big Toon Survey threw up three answers that polled over 90% –- a first ever –- and all of them focused on the failed takeover.
United fans want answers, they believe the Premier League are to blame for the takeover being called off and they still want the consortium that walked away in frustration to buy out Mike Ashley.
But on the situation away from the takeover, there’s less certainty.
Take the verdict on Steve Bruce. The vciotunpdermatnioanti onloineliwnehewnheevne-r tehvertethame teloasme alogsaemaegawmoueldwosugldgsuesgtgeNsetwNceawstclaesftalenfsaanrseaureniutenditeind tinhetihreiorpoppopsoitsioitniontotohhimim butt the survey results show a miixxed bbaagg, but with more feeling he did a good job last season than not.
Asked whether he performed above, on par or below pre-season expeecxtpaeticotnas(tiwohnisc:h may h■av5e4% sabyeehne lpoewrf)o:rmed on a■ 54p%arsaywihthe epxeprfeocrtmateiodnso.n p■ar41% saywihthe pexeprfeocrtmateiodnsabo■v4e1% esxapyecthaetpieornfso.rmed above e■xpJeucsttati5o%nssay he p■ejrufsotrm5%edsay hebeploewrtfohreme.d below them Did he change minds? The next set of answers suggests not. Of the76%7,0s0a0y tfhaneys wstihllo ahnoslwd ertehde, 7sa6m%e saiodpinthioeny sotfilhl imhoalsdat the satamrte oofptihneionseao-f hsoimn. as at the start of“Nthoeprse asesoanso.n“,Nno
Of the 7,000 fans who answered, 76% say they still hold the same opinion of Bruce as at the start of the season
pre-season, no proven goal scorer, no crowd support and never ending talk of a takeover during the season, means it was an outstanding job for Newcastle to finish where they did,” said one correspondent – the most generous assessment.
There were compliments for his man management, his “decency” and the way the team responded to him after a difficult summer. But many had reservations still. The theme of the football being difficult to watch cropped up.
“Nice bloke but not the level of manager/head coach we need to move forward if we want to step up into the top 10,” said another. It was a common(ish) theme.
“Decent man and experienced manager. Don’t see him as the one to take us to the next level. I was very disappointed to see Rafa Benitez leave,” one comment read.
A succinct reply to this question read: “I feel for Bruce. He wasn’t welcomed, even though he’s a Geordie. He’s done OK bearing in mind our squad. We cant expect top half under the current regime.”
On the season as a whole, the verdict was vanilla. Of the responses we received:
■ 48% said the campaign was average.
■ 33% said poor.
■ 1% said excellent.
■ 10% said good.
■ 6% said terrible.
Despite the fairly generous verdict on Bruce, there is little optimism about next season. Most clearly feel Newcastle have work to do to get their house in order given how the last campaign finished. Asked what you expected of next season, just 5% said a top-half finish.
40% expect relegation while 54% expect a carbon copy of the last two seasons, to finish safe but in the bottom half.
40% expect relegation while 54% expect to replicate the last two seasons: finish safe but in the bottom half