Steve Bruce is set to become the new Newcastle manager with his appointment said to be “imminent” according to Chronicle journalist Mark Douglas.
Douglas added that the finer points are still to be sorted with his current club Sheffield Wednesday but admitted that Bruce would be “walking into a firestorm”.
Steve Bruce appointment now imminent at #nufc. Details to be worked out with #swfc but he's heading to SJP.
Could even be in before trip to China. Walking into a firestorm at #NUFC, which he surely knows.
— Mark Douglas (@MsiDouglas) July 11, 2019
That’s the best way of describing the current swell of feeling from Newcastle fans to the news.
Bruce is a former Sunderland manager (but boyhood Newcastle fan) and he comes with a huge amount of experience but very little in the way of actual success, certainly in the top flight.
He’s won promotion from the second tier with Birmingham and Hull, and also finished FA Cup runners-up with the latter. As far as honours go, that’s it though.
Steve Bruce knows all about firestorms after taking over at Sunderland as a self-acknowledged Newcastle fan, and then going for the job at Aston Villa after six years with local rivals Birmingham.
He never won the Villa fans over and had a cabbage thrown at him just before he was sacked.
This could be his biggest challenge yet, though. Newcastle fans aren’t happy at the way the club’s being run. They’re not happy with Mike Ashley and they’re not happy at the idea of Bruce taking over.
This is what the fans are saying on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/savethelastpie/status/1149276607582003201
Feeling is running very strong with some fans – one said he would “cheer every goal we concede this season” on the back of the news. His reasoning is that relegation is the quickest way to get Ashley out.
https://twitter.com/ebdale4/status/1149272825016045568
Another thinks that it spells the end of the takeover – stating that Ashley wouldn’t be paying compensation to Sheffield Wednesday if he was about to sell.
https://twitter.com/Toonattics/status/1149273883268304904
If he is a fan of the club why would he be bowing down to the man who is destroying it? Spineless.
— D.C.G (@DeeCeeGee89) July 11, 2019
An appointment either out of spite or simply no one else willing to touch us with a barge pole. The club is disgusting & im totally done with it until this regime leaves. Totally exhausted & fed up of it now.
— Mark Stockley (@markrstockley) July 11, 2019
This is all so utterly depressing
— Jack (@JackStanley86) July 11, 2019
https://twitter.com/soneilluk/status/1149274644626771974
With the start #nufc have got, if the team is in the bottom three after 9 or 10 games, I don't think he will get the time that Rafa did. All hell will likely break loose. Charnley should have thought about this before acting.
— Paul Nicholson (@PaulNic_Journo) July 11, 2019
Can’t remember a club confirming relegation in July before but we have TODAY.
The local media will continue like it’s the norm as per.— Mark (@mja1980) July 11, 2019