On the 13th of February 2016, Steve McClaren stood in front of Sky Sports cameras with a great big grin on his face after Newcastle had been humiliated at Stamford Bridge by a score of 5-1.
McClaren peddled out excuses of injuries and about “giving the ball away cheaply” but, at the time, Newcastle had 12 games left to save our season as we sat in 18th place with 24 points to our name.
As we now know, McClaren would go on to lose the next two matches against Stoke and Bournemouth before being replaced by Rafael Benitez who was unable to turn our form around in time.
Fast forward five years and two days and we have Steve Bruce stood in front of Sky Sports cameras with a great big grin on his face after Newcastle had put in a limp performance against Chelsea to lose 2-0 earlier this week.
Bruce peddled out excuses of injuries and about Chelsea having “top class players” and we now have 14 games left to save our season as we sit in 17th place with 25 points to our name.
There are of course some differences from this season to the one under McClaren but given Bruce’s track record and passive attitude to the danger we’re in, it’s hard not to see strong similarities in McClaren’s season to this one.
Newcastle absolutely are in a relegation battle currently and while we may be in a better position than our last relegation year, the passive and overly-relaxed nature in which Bruce is approaching our position is scary.
Though Fulham fans would probably snatch at our position and fixture list if given the chance, I’m sure that they would much rather being hearing the message from Scott Parker over the drivel from Steve Bruce.
Despite the progress Newcastle have made in our attacking intent recently, all of that becomes null and void when your manager spends the majority of his pre-match conference talking up the other team and basically readying the reason for loss.
Scott Parker, on the other hand, talks up his team and reiterates his belief in them. Parker speaks of his belief that Fulham are “very competitive in this league” and that they have chance to win “every game”. Compare his pre-match comments above with that of Bruce’s.
He said “this team have real belief” after they beat Sheffield United last night to close the gap to just THREE points, yet Bruce will no doubt talk up Man Utd and tell us all how hard tonight’s game will be when BT Sport ask him for a pre-match interview in a few hours time.
If current statistics and tables weren’t available and you only had words to go on, I know who I would believe in the most… and it wouldn’t be Bruce.
So now you want to bin current statistics and tables because it suits your agenda? Doesn’t work that way mate. You are as guilty as any of them out there for using stats to “define” our fate.
As for “Despite the progress Newcastle have made in our attacking intent recently, all of that becomes null and void when your manager spends the majority of his pre-match conference talking up the other team and basically readying the reason for loss”.
Which recycle bin did you dig that out of? Absolute garbage and you should be ashamed for uttering such nonsense.
If we are to hang onto our prem status – and I firmly believe we will – it will be because of the change in attacking attitude brought about by the hiring of Graeme Jones.
What Bruce says about other teams is neither here nor there.
As for the bit about Bruce and McClaren having big grins on their faces – that’s just a pathetic distortion of the truth applied for effect. Again – you should be ashamed of yourself.
We know you hate Bruce – you have said it in almost every article you have written.
Do you support Newcastle United? I’ve seen nothing to suggest that is the case.
You’re just a bad tempered kid who thinks it cool to slag people off from the anonymity of a blog.
BykerBill(Quote)
Now ISN’T the time for petty attacks
It’s the time to get a MANAGER in ASAP
Look the MD and NUFC board have spent 40 MILLION on a doorstop and then 2 bob on a ‘manager’
If this was a high street shop Ashley would have sacked the numpty’s and replace them BUT here we are again – and if we go down again it’s going to cost and wipe 50% off the clubs value
It is the ONLY way MD Charmless keeps his job BUT Bruce having already proved he can’t manage in the championship EITHER = where he was given and wasted millions with Villa (!!?)
Time is NOW to replace Bruce for a MANAGER
KK(Quote)
I now fear the future of this club.no momentum no drive or plan please make some positive changes or this club is going down
Stephen(Quote)
His comment before the Sheff U game that Fulham had only won one of last 13 games will come home to haunt him. Head in the sand, Fulham have much better stats than NUFC since November. Hopefully the owner will see the penny drop (and not before time) and sack SB and his two coaches(?).
Richard Lange(Quote)
It’s great being a manager when all is well, but the test of a good manager is how you handle yourself and your team when things are bad. Bruce is incapable of doing that. Sorry Bruce time to go.
Paul Estebanez(Quote)
Bruce needs to go now he is an embarrassment to football
Steve Smith(Quote)
This is just childish. Parker did not make Bruce look in any way silly.
It doesn’t take long for readers to figure out if they are reading a Jonny Dawson piece it’s going to be nothing but childish, petty, groundless criticism of the players, the owner , or the manager.
Ahhhh! The good old days when blogs had balance!
Helen Clarey(Quote)