TalkSport host and journalist Jim White has provided an update on Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce ahead of this weekend’s game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Recent reports have suggested that following the purchase of the club by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) last week, Bruce’s tenure at St. James’ Park might not have long left to run as the new owners are in the process of looking for a new man in the dugout.
It’s a situation that Bruce, who would take charge of his 1,000th career game this weekend, is aware of, having recently stated: “I want to continue [as manager] but I have to be realistic. I’m not stupid and aware what could happen with new owners.”
However, it looks as if that change might have to wait a little bit longer to be completed. Speaking on TalkSport, White claimed that Bruce might still be in a position to take charge of the Magpies this weekend:
“I was told last night it could well be that Steve Bruce is in the technical area when they play Tottenham on Sunday. Do you know what, though, that is significant – he’s on 999, for God’s sake, let him get in the technical area and take the game on Sunday.”
TIF Thoughts on Jim White’s comments about Steve Bruce at Newcastle United…
Will Steve Bruce be manager by the end of the week?
Yes
No
This might not be that much of a surprise, all things considered. Given how quickly the takeover was officially confirmed in the last few days following the reversal of Saudi Arabia’s ban on beIN Sports, the final matters of the takeover were all done more or less within 24 hours. So it’s not as if the new owners had time to fully get things in line for when they were to take over,
And given how long it can occasionally take to bring in a manager, as Tottenham Hotspur demonstrated this summer – especially if they’re already under contract at another club and compensation needs to be sorted out – it was always going to be a race against time to get someone new in place.
And if the club were to appoint someone now, they wouldn’t have the best preparation time to get things ready for the game in such a short space of time, so it might be best just to keep Bruce in place for now until something can be figured out, rather than bringing in a caretaker until the next full-time manager is appointed.
In other news: ‘Could possibly save them from relegation’ – 74 y/o tipped as surprise Newcastle candidate