Bruce not resigning despite loss
STEVE Bruce insisted he has no intention of quitting as boss of Newcastle United - despite many fans feeling he has reached the point of no return.
Losing to Brentford in the quarter-finals of the League Cup may not have been so bad had Newcastle been further up the table and Bruce’s team not been at full strength.
But the former Man United skipper’s side did not look like they were playing for him in the capital.
When asked about the angry reaction to the defeat, Bruce said: “I’m a resilient so-and-so so I’ll need to be ready for what’s coming my way.
“The supporters are entitled to their opinion and I accept that.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t done enough, so we have to accept what is coming our way and get ready for what is a huge challenge ahead of us in the Premier League.”
Despite facing a second-tier outfit’s second string, United were unable to book a place in the semi-finals of the League Cup for the first time since January 1976.
Bruce looked dejected during his Zoom press conference as the inquest began almost immediately after the 1-0 defeat against the Bees.
He said:”I can’t hide my disappointment because we’ve had a great opportunity to get into a first semi-final in many years.
“I’m bitterly disappointed and very, very frustrated.
“I stand by what I said when I walked in the door - I picked the team I thought was going be good enough to win the match.
“Unfortunately, Brentford played very, very well on the night.”
Bruce’s opposite number Thomas Frank said he was delighted with his side’s display after match.
Brentford, who are pushing for promotion once again, have now reached a major cup semi-final for the first time in their history.
“I’m delighted in many ways, first and foremost to get over the line and create a new chapter in Brentford’s history,” said Frank.
“It’s a big step for the club and shows how far we have progressed. The owner Matthew Benham deserves great credit.
“And also the way we did it. We fully deserved to win and we could have had more.
“I think they were as strong as they could be. We made changes, and we still beat them.”