I’m in danger of sounding like a broken record, but Steve Bruce continues to do himself no favours – this time in his post-match comments following last night’s lucky escape at Newport.
This is the third or fourth time (in six games) that he’s said we haven’t played well enough, however I’ve noticed there’s always a ‘but’ from Bruce.
Just as you’d like to hear him accept it’s not good enough and things need to change, he either brands the criticism excessive, gets defensive or makes an excuse.
This time, he’s called out those who are “all of a sudden questioning tactics”, saying he’s “disappointed” by it all.
Here’s what he’s had to say, following another excruciating display with yet another frustrating interview:
“I agree we didn’t play well enough…but now all of a sudden it’s questioning tactics.
“I find the whole thing disappointing.
“We don’t go out there not wanting to play well.
“I thoroughly think we deserved to go through.
“You can see how they have beaten Swansea and Watford.
“They play a certain way for a lower division team.
“They got the goal early and as if they didn’t have enough belief, that gave them a bit more.
“They certainly had belief and we found it difficult, hats off to them.
“They defended with their lives at the end and it took a real bit of quality because, the way it was going, I didn’t think we would get the breakthrough.
“But we are through.
“I thought we played well in the last half an hour.”
If he’s disappointed, he should try watching the performances he’s orchestrated over the past few months, with us resorting to long balls to Andy Carroll last night in our woeful attempt to break down a League Two side!
What’s frustrating is he says we’re “all of a sudden” starting to doubt his tactics as if this is the first time we’ve had complaints.
Hardly accurate when both journalists and fans have asked “what is the plan?” on countless occasions since he took the job 15 months ago.
Finishing 13th last season and enjoying a cup run was an achievement given so many backed him to send us down, but we all knew that this style of play and level of performance was always going to catch up with us.
Playing well was often the exception and so many of our results included an element of luck – something that’s been on our side at Spurs on Sunday and again last night at Newport.
That luck will run out before long and there’ll be more grim days like that hammering at home to Brighton – yet Bruce seems reluctant to accept the clear flaws in his current approach and instead plays the victim or defends himself, as if we’re being unreasonable to complain.
Ollie
I have come to understand you dont like Bruce and his achievements
You are the guy that if we won the league you would moan about the way we play or he should have started XYZ!!!!!!!
We are not Man City or Liverpool we are Newcastle and like the area we play dour football doesn’t matter who the coach is.
At the end of the day we are though to the last 8 doesn’t matter how we got there we are there. Currently we are 10th in the league with some 30 odd games to play. We are not at the end of the season so no need to moan
Da Bassman(Quote)
So he saw how they played against Swansea & Watford – he knew what was coming – and they still dominated us for best part of an hour.
Oh, and the questioning of tactics isn’t all of a sudden. We played with no identity last season either – but it was accepted he didn’t have to playing staff last season – particularly in attack.
To be clear for my part – I don’t blame the players. I think we have a decent squad of players now. They are just being sent out with no direction that I can tell – and if they are then they aren’t following it. In which case Bruce should be going spare on the touch line and making it know in these post match interviews.
Sharpy17(Quote)
There is just no visible style of play at all. All they do is lump balls in the air to Carroll and League 2 opponents do that every week. Attitudes are wrong and he plays Shelvey week after week. The guy is bone idle. We now have good pace in the team so start playing in a way that uses it. Pace is what all top defenders hate playing against. Bruce should stop making excuses. The buck stops with him.
Stephen Allison(Quote)
Bruce is and will always be a championship manager. At the moment we are playing like a championship team. His tactics! 5-4-1 is boring, negative, soul destroying. His ABILITY to change is an embarrassment. City last yr! League/cup games. He cannot even speak like a proper geordie never mind manage the great club.
Come on Bruce. Man up and walk.
Shaun(Quote)
And you’re a bloke who’s wife could cheat on him & but would thank her for coming back … you moron
Sharpy17(Quote)
“You are the guy that if we won the league you would moan about the way we play or he should have started XYZ!!!!!!!”
Absolutely moronic comment. I’ve given Bruce credit on here when he’s got it right and praised him a few weeks ago for convincing Ashley to sign a few proven PL players, but I’m not going to sit here and defend absolute dross!
You sometimes have to look at the bigger picture. Yes we’re 10th and in the QF’s of the cup, but if we keep playing like we are we’ll go down and be straight out of the cup if and when we’re drawn against a good PL side.
That sounds negative I know, but we just made hard work of Newport and have had THREE shots on target in our three PL games (and one was a penalty). That is alarming, no matter what results we’ve managed to muster up.
Luck won’t save him forever.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)