Well, it seems like the cheapest option has been chosen to fix the current state of things.
According to The Daily Mail, The Chronicle and Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Mike Ashley looks to have handed a ‘boost’ to Steve Bruce (not Newcastle) in pursuing the appointment of Bournemouth’s backroom coach, Graeme Jones.
I don’t know much about Jones but I do know that someone who completely failed to achieve anything with Luton Town as manager is hardly going to pull up trees at a Premier League club in desperate need of change.
A quick google of Jones tells you that he had lovely coaching career alongside Roberto Martinez for a while but that his career has been less than impressive since parting ways with the manager.
Unfortunately, this is probably one of the clearest signs that Bruce is to stay for at least a little bit longer, because it clearly shows that Ashley and Charnley will back him in the cheapest way possible – not sack him.
It feels like a bizarre vote of confidence from Ashley, yet in turn it suggests Bruce has lost all confidence in himself. A damning combination.
We know that Bruce being dismissed would cost Ashley money he doesn’t want to spend and we know that it’s a similar situation when it comes to player recruitment. Instead, we’re left with the Emmanuel Riviere of coaching deals.
With Bruce, what does this mean when it comes to his whole “I’m doing it my way from now on” thing? If he were so clear on what his way is supposed to be then why does he have to bring someone new in? Surely, he would know what he needed to do and could achieve that with his current coaching team? Or is that now another element that isn’t good enough according to Bruce?
Even if Jones becomes an unlikely talisman within Newcastle, this move has to been seen as a knee-**** reaction and I think betrays what Bruce has been saying about the players all along. If, as Bruce claims, the players aren’t good enough then what is this appointment going to achieve?
This whole thing reeks of desperation but also of neglect… neglectful desperation. I know that’s an oxymoron but Newcastle are an oxymoron of a football club.
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