Steve Bruce has claimed he could not call time on his career in management due to the way his spell at Newcastle United played out. Bruce was sacked from his role as Magpies boss in October after over two-years in the dugout at St. James’ Park.
Despite considering retirement upon his departure from Newcastle, Bruce accepted an offer to take over at West Bromwich Albion in February, where he is looking to win his fifth Championship promotion. Even though he was able to keep Newcastle in the Premier League during his two full seasons in charge, Bruce was never able to win over the Magpies faithful.
Newcastle have a history of playing fast, front foot football, but Bruce's spell signalled a side much more content at sitting back and soaking up pressure. Speaking to the Sunday People, Bruce has admitted that while he knew the style he had adopted was not what Newcastle supporters wanted, keeping them in the Premier League was ultimately what he had been tasked to do.
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He said: “I couldn’t finish my managerial career on what happened at Newcastle. I’d taken too much stick - I was being ridiculed and there’s nothing worse. You can accept it if you’ve picked the wrong team. But I was being pulled to pieces because people were saying I couldn’t take a warm up - that I’d given the players too many days off.
"I knew what the team was doing on the pitch wasn’t what Newcastle United fans wanted. And I knew they were fed up. They wanted change.
“But I had a brief to keep the club the Premier League and we finished 12th and 13th in my two full seasons. I knew we weren’t entertaining or attractive to watch. I’ll hold my hands up.
“We were pragmatic, defensive, I did what I had to do. Would the sale to the new owners have gone ahead of the club was in the Championship? I’m not so sure.”
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