Hoddle backs Bruce to stay as Toon boss
STEVE Bruce will stay at Newcastle United beyond this current Premier League season.
That is the view of former England manager Glenn Hoddle, who feels the 60-year-old deserves the opportunity to see out his contract at St James’ Park.
Bruce’s three-year deal as manager of Newcastle runs out at the end of next season but he has faced calls for him to be sacked as Magpies’ boss.
Following last month’s awful 3-0 defeat to Brighton, a poll on Chronicle Live revealed 95% of 14,000 Newcastle fans polled wanted Bruce to be sacked as manager after a run of just two wins in 20 matches.
Since then, Newcastle have responded with a spirited 2-2 draw with Tottenham and vital wins over Burnley and West Ham to put an eight-point gap between themselves and the Premier League’s relegation zone.
As a result, Hoddle feels Bruce deserves the opportunity to lead Newcastle into next season and hopes he will be suitably backed in the transfer market by owner Mike Ashley.
He said: “I think Steve will stay. He is working hard to make sure the club stays in the Premier League.
“Why would he move on? He would want to be backed and to see if he could take Newcastle to a different level.
“That is the problem with Newcastle. It is very insular.
“All the Newcastle supporters are very close to that city and they believe they are a club who should be up there, like Leeds have been or Wolves have been in the past few years.
“There are a few examples Sheffield United last year.
“Newcastle fans are asking: ‘Why can’t we do it?’
“They probably have a point but Bruce needs to be backed by the ownership.
“I think he is fighting really hard for Newcastle.
“If they stay up he deserves to have one more year and see where he can go with this.”