Bruce – ask Mike about my future
STEVE Bruce admits he is the ‘wrong person to ask’ about his fate at Newcastle United – but the Magpies’ head coach has vowed to do ‘everything’ he can to ensure his side does not go down.
Newcastle sit just a point above the relegation zone following a run of two wins in their last 16 Premier League fixtures.
However, Bruce’s job has not been under immediate threat because the Newcastle boss has kept his side out of the bottom three up until this point.
When Newcastle were previously relegated, in 2009 and 2016, Mike Ashley only changed managers when the Magpies were in the relegation zone. Ashley left it too late for Alan Shearer and Rafa Benitez to turn things around and Bruce was asked if those demotions had influenced the billionaire’s decision to keep faith with 11 games to go this season.
“Look, you’re going to have to ask Mike that or ask people above me that,” Bruce said.
“I’m only focused on one thing: doing my job as best I can and I will try everything I possibly can with all the experience I have to make sure we stay here and don’t have that fate.”
Newcastle do at least have a game in hand on 18th-placed Fulham and the Magpies could put the pressure back on Scott Parker’s in-form side by beating Aston Villa tonight.
The Magpies then travel to the AMEX Stadium next Friday to take on Brighton in a crucial six-pointer before the final international break of the campaign. Bruce hopes to have the injured Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron back next month, so if he can get through the next two or three games does the Newcastle boss think he will keep his job?
He said: “I think I’m the wrong one to ask. I’m focused on tomorrow night.
“Can we win? Then we have a huge game against Brighton. “Look, we’re capable of winning the pair of them – of course we are. We understand how difficult that is because of the problems we have but I’ll do my utmost to make sure we’re right and prepared.”