Steve Bruce believes we were “going along very nicely” and in with a chance of securing a top 10 finish until a COVID outbreak derailed our season.
The Newcastle boss has also blamed our inability to reach his pre-season target on injuries – bemoaning the fact we’ve had spells without ‘big players’ Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin.
Amusingly, he claims that this ‘isn’t an excuse’…but that’s exactly what it is. The COVID outbreak was unfortunate, yet that’s impacted clubs up and down the country this season – and I’d argue that several of our injuries have been self inflicted due to bad player management and a lack of training if recent reports are to be believed!
Here’s what Bruce has said about his initial aim for 2020/21:
“The top ten (aim) was because we finished 13th and wanted to improve on what we accomplished last year.
“With the problems we have had, when I analyse the season, we were going along very nicely until COVID hit. And then the injuries to our big players have been a real big problem to handle.
“We are without three big players who we’ve spent a lot of money on.”
“That is what it is. That’s what we’ve been dealt with.
“I don’t think that is an excuse.
“We still have an opportunity to climb up the table and finish where we finished last year. I think all of us would accept that, take it now.
“It’s not what we set out to be but it is the way we are at the minute.”
OK, we moved to 10th when we beat Crystal Palace at the back end of last year (our last game before the COVID outbreak hit), but even the most optimistic Newcastle fans knew we weren’t playing nearly well enough to push for a top half finish.
In truth, we’d have been lucky to match last season’s finish back then, with the underlying stats and performance levels that of a team who’d do well to stay up.
COVID didn’t help and a few of the injuries suffered have been tough to cope with, however some of that has been self inflicted and Steve Bruce has ultimately ran out of luck – something that played a big part in us avoiding a dog fight last season.
Follow us on Twitter (@NUFCBlogcouk) and on Facebook HERE
Give the guy a break for christs sake !
The main problem ( forgetting. Working for a nightmare owner ) is the loss of key players at periods throughout the season… we’ve had 6 of our best players carried off in just 2 games,
how can that be the managers fault.
You scream for a new manager but he would get the same treatment within a couple of games,
Steve Bruce has had his hands tied from day one, very little money to spend, having to rely on loans and cast offs, whichever players he fields he get criticized…plus very bad luck with this latest crop of injuries.
True supporters should be fully supporting the team & manager not creating further stress & obstacles.
Get a grip…..Rant over
Jeff Mills(Quote)
Lots of premier league clubs have had COVID and managed to push on yet we suffered (Steve Bruce’s words) you don’t hear Villa complaining they just get on with it Man City had out breAks (yes I know they have a strong squad) but the teams just got on with it, yet Bruce states let’s not make any excuses and the first thing he quotes is COVID
This man is full of excuses he just can’t tell the truth, eg Richie apology Bruce’s words Richie apologies next day in training and it was all forgotten about yet we all know they had Sunday to Tuesday off training he is just full of sh#t
Dave(Quote)
The P!SS Soaked clown is trying to rewrite history – just before the START of Covid Toon were on a poor run…
…and it was ONLY down to SJM not listening to the Nump once we got started again that Toon managed to get points & survive last year
Luck rather than ANY sort of MANAGEMENT
WE simply need a MANAGER – Draw or loss tonight and its either the Numpty or the Board that need to resign!
KK(Quote)
This bad run isn’t since we lost our 3 best players – IT COVERS 18 Games and counting (!!!??)
Name 90 minutes where we looked like a TEAM
Bruce simply isn’t a MANAGER – I’d get Lampard in immediately
KK(Quote)
the two main issues we are where we are this season,
1. the manager and his coaching staff
2. key injuries, which have increased massively this year, could this be due to poor condition, poor fitness,, linked to cancelled training sessions ?? the players think so
Maybe on the days when he didn’t want them training they could have worked on tactical sessions, [patterns of play, watched opponents……. oh I don’t do tactics
We all know this squad is better than the pundits play it out as, that’s done to give Bruce an easier time of it,
CC(Quote)
Hasn’t Bruce spent £100 million on players since he arrived less than 2 seasons ago, on top of loan deals and freebies?
Also, the pandemic has hit every club not just NUFC, and every club has to deal with injuries to key players throughout the season.
Fans aren’t stupid. They know these things. But they also know that even teams which have been ravaged by injuries can grind out results if the players have been coached well and the formation and tactics are set up correctly. Sadly, it’s all too obvious that coaching and tactics are not Bruce’s forte.
Lee(Quote)