Bruce’s ‘mighty Rafa’ barb coming back to bite him
WHat would the ‘ mighty Rafa’ do in steve Bruce’s situation? He would not, you assume, make insincere comments about the previous manager. How ironic that Bruce spoke on Friday of maintaining his ‘dignity’ amid criticism. He then proceeded to answer a question about Mike ashley by comparing his own record to that of Benitez.
and that would have been fine had he not let his guard slip with a needless and sarcastic barb in which he referred to the spaniard as ‘the mighty Rafa’.
It is no secret that Bruce is a convert of those — including several senior players — who believe Benitez receives undue worship from supporters. But in saying what he did, Bruce sent the mercury rising among a fanbase already bubbling with rage and contempt for the head coach.
It would have also no doubt raised eyebrows among those players who do respect Benitez and the improvement he brought about in their game.
Benitez was not alone, though. Bruce referred to ‘the fella from Bournemouth’ who ‘got a team relegated last year’. that would be Eddie Howe, and that was in response to a local newspaper poll in which he was the pick for next boss.
You can understand Bruce’s frustration while he remains in post, but was his retort dignified?
as for the Benitez comment, it was a foolish misjudgment. Maybe it was intended. Maybe he does not care what the fans think any more.
But if you cannot get it right on the pitch, at least retain some decency off it. Bruce is failing in both regards. saturday’s 2-0 defeat at aston Villa was an eighth in 10 matches and newcastle have now scored one goal in 13 hours. the idea put forward by some pundits that Benitez could not do any better with these players is wrong.
the only folk who make repeated mention of Benitez, by the way, are Bruce and his backers.
they do that because when you strip it back to points-per-game, their Premier League records over the last four seasons are not dissimilar — Benitez is at 1.17, Bruce at 1.10. But that is to ignore gnore Benitez taking a newly-promoted team m to 10th and then, in the second half of the he following season, having them in the top six on form with an attacking style e he had been building. Benitez was, then then, doing far better with largely the same group of players. there was methodo methodology. It was not always pretty, but you could c see the bricks being put in place, w week by week.
Bruce, in contrast, is staring at a pile of ru rubble. the foundations of a competen competent team have eroded. He talks of ‘progre ‘progress’, yet all of the evidence points to regression. r
Fans want wan him to go and there were banners p placed in protest outside st James James’ Park following the Villa surrender.
the club club’s response is to bring in Graeme Jo Jones, a Bournemouth coach who will wor work alongside assistants steve agnew and s stephen Clemence. Jones had best arrive w with a blueprint for survival because, on current c form, newcastle look incapable of w winning a match.
Indeed, the club’s plight is captured by Javier Manquillo Manqu having to play at Villa Park for the first time since november because Dean Deandre Yedlin’s work permit had expired and w was not renewed in time.
Villa won thanks t to goals from Ollie watkins and Bertrand traore. they are a team with ide identity, ingenuity and incision.
newcastle h host another side with a clear strategy tom tomorrow — Leeds United, who were 5-2 winn winners in the reverse fixture last month. Bruce now needs to come up with a plan to c combat their energy and movement.
what would the mighty Rafa do?