Under pressure, but EVERYONE respect
STEVE BRUCE sympathises with the pressure Nigel Pearson is under at Leicester – but believes it is wrong for a manager to let his guard down or look for confrontation.
Pearson has been widely criticised for a bizarre midweek rant at a journalist, the latest in a series of controversial outbursts by the Foxes boss.
Bruce’s Hull, like the Foxes, are threatened by relegation – although they host Arsenal tomorrow, having taken a giant step toward Premier League safety with two back-to-back victories.
“Whether you win, lose or draw, you must try to keep an equilibrium,” said Bruce. “Don’t get carried away with yourself.
“What I try to have is a respect for everybody, no matter what job they’re in. When you get the sack and people are writing about you, you are inhuman if you don’t take it personally.
“But, whatever club you’re at in the Premier League, you’re going to get your fair share of criticism and you have to accept that.
“I’ve always tried to have respect, whether it’s for a journalist or the guy who’s come to fix the telly. I always like to treat people the way I want to be treated.”
Pearson (right), who has apologised for calling the journalist an ostrich, has been involved in a number of incidents this campaign.
He told an abusive Leicester fan to “f*** off and die,” grappled with Crystal Place player James McArthur on the sidelines and called another journalist a “pr***”.
Bruce said: “I have sympathy because it’s such a hard job. I go home sometimes and my missus is talking to me and she suddenly says, ‘ You’re not here, are you? I don’t know what you’re here for. What’s the point?’
“I’ve had a few run-ins with a few journalists. It’s difficult to go in front of the Press when you’ve been well beaten and you’re in a relegation fight. But I don’t look k for the confrontation. If somebodydy asks you a question, you might be seething,ething, but I would never let my guard d down.
“I’d never let you thinknk you’ve annoyed me with a questiontion or say how dare you ask me that question.
“We’re all talking about it t (Pearson’s rant) and it’s pretty humorous. orous. I’m glad they’ve kissed and made ade up. The famous one, of course, was the Keegan one, years ago.”
Former Newcastle bossoss Kevin Keegan’s “I would love it” outburst in 1996 was provoked byy Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Magpies had led thee league by 12 points, but eventually lost ost the title to a Manchester United side,ide, which included Bruce.
The former defender added: dded: “Now his (Pearson’s) club is in focusus because of his rant. Unless he’s reallyally clever, and tried to take the heat eat off his players. If he is that clever, er, I’ll stick my hands up and say, y, ‘Nigel, fantastic mind games’.mes’.
“If you are in the Premier League, ue, the media spotlight light goes around the world. We all have a responsibilitybility in this kind of era.
“At Newcastle, a few yearsars ago, I was running up and nd down the touchline like someme idiot and I’m thinking, ‘Steve, ve, you prat, that’s undignified,d, that’s not great’.”