If only my parents were here to see it Bruce on verge of tears as he tells of Geordie pride

would have said, ‘Are you sure you know what you’re doing, son?’

“For all the family I’ve still got in the North-east, well I’m sure they’ll be as proud as punch.

“For any Geordie, if you can’t play for Newcastle then to get back and manage them is really something special. “If I had my time back I would have gone in 2004 when Bobby Robson left the club.

“I turned the job down then because of loyalty and I never thought the opportunity would come again. I just

MESUT OZIL has spoken of his determination to win over the doubters – and start helping Arsenal to win trophies again.

The 2010 World Cup winner was dropped by manager Unai Emery last season and his attitude was questioned.

But Ozil said: “I’m really happy, I’m fit. Hopefully we can win titles this season. I had a few injuries before the thought that I’ve got to go and have a crack. No matter how difficult, no matter how much I’m going to have to deal with, I had to have a crack at it.”

He had been left heartbroken when the club he supported told the then-schoolboy hopeful he lacked the height and strength to make the grade as a player.

Bruce will now need all the mental strength that saw him recover to become captain of Manchester United.

The Toon Army are close to mutiny following owner Mike Ashley’s decision to dispense with Benitez and appoint a man who was once in charge of bitter rivals Sunderland.

Even Tyneside legend Alan Shearer urged Bruce not to let his heart rule his head by taking over at St James’ Park. But there has been support – including from former Old Trafford team-mate David Beckham.

Bruce said: “I got tons of messages telling me to take it – and David was one of them. I’ll have to show my daughter that message.

“Loads of people just said, ‘You’ve got to do it’. I knew they were right because whoever replaced Rafa was always going to have big shoes to fill.

“I was 12 or 13 when I was rejected as a player. I fought against it then and now I’m fighting against people who still don’t think I’m good enough.

“I spoke to Alan Shearer and he said, ‘No, no, no’ and I said ‘Yes, yes, yes’. When I got that phone call, when it became real, there was no hesitation. I had to have a crack.”