Bangkok Post

Bruce defiant despite defeat

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LONDON: Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce took a defiant stance and vowed to carry on for as long as the club’s new owners wanted him to following a chastening 3-2 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in his 1,000th match as a manager.

Newcastle were outplayed after taking an early lead at a boisterous St James’ Park, with Harry Kane grabbing his first league goal of the season for Spurs and Jonjo Shelvey getting sent off late in the match to cap off a torrid evening for the hosts.

Newcastle flew out of the traps and went ahead after just 108 seconds when Callum Wilson headed in from a Javi Manquillo cross.

But the bright start soon fizzled out as Spurs hit back in the 17th minute through Tanguy Ndombele. Kane gave Spurs the lead five minutes later.

Son Heung-Min added a third from close range in first-half stoppage time before Newcastle were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute when Shelvey saw red for a second booking. An owngoal from Eric Dier set up a tense finish but Spurs held on.

Frustrated fans chanted for Bruce to be sacked and the game ended with boos from large sections of the home crowd as Newcastle remained winless in the league and second from bottom with three points from eight games.

“It’s not easy. I understand their frustratio­n and how they’ve been for a long time. I’m never going to chuck it when

we are up against it and in the bottom three, that’s not me,” said Bruce.

“That [whether I stay] is for other people to decide. Ever since I have walked into this club of ours it is difficult. I knew how difficult it was going to be with the frustratio­ns. I will carry on as best I can until I hear otherwise.

“The owners have conducted themselves respectful­ly since they came in. As long as I hear otherwise, I will go into work tomorrow.”

Bruce has been speculated to be on his way out ever since Newcastle were taken over by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium this month, but the new owners earlier this week gave him a vote of confidence, saying that “change did not happen overnight”.

 ?? REUTERS ?? Tottenham’s goalscorer­s, from right, Son Heung-Min, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane.
REUTERS Tottenham’s goalscorer­s, from right, Son Heung-Min, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane.

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