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Steve Bruce claims he ‘offered’ to get sacked by Newcastle and told them who should replace him

Steve Bruce claims he ‘offered’ to get sacked by Newcastle United and told them who should replace him should he depart.

He was appointed as the club’s manager in the summer of 2019, coming in to replace Rafa Benitez, but went on to leave over two years later following the takeover of the Premier League club in October 2021.

Bruce’s last game in charge was a 3-2 defeat at home to Tottenham, this meant that meant Newcastle went winless in their opening eight games of the season.

Bruce was subsequently relieved of his duties just days after the defeat and, as he has now admitted on the SportBiz podcast that he took it upon himself to help the new owners come to the decision.

@bizofsport #SteveBruce managed Newcastle United from 2019-2021. Now, you can watch him on the #BusinessOfSport podcast with #HarryStebbings and #CharlieStebbings#newcastleunited #premierleague #nufc #football #amandastaveley #jamiereuben #eddiehowe #stevengerrard ♬ Storytelling – Adriel

Bruce said: “The people who took over Newcastle, they came to see me and if you remember, we were playing Spurs and that was going to be my 1000th game as a manager. They [Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi] both came in and said ‘look Steve, how can we help you?’.

“And I said ‘look, I’m the only negative left’. The euphoria of Newcastle, the support, the crowd, everything about it was as if the doom and gloom had shifted and everything was euphoric. They’ve had an unbelievable rise in 18 months or two years.

“But I had to say to them, ‘you might have to take me out of the equation’. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to say, but I realised it was best for the club because everything was euphoric around it, the only negative was me.”

Bruce adds that he helped recommend who should become his successor, giving Newcastle United’s owners two potential options.

“They even asked me – and I can say this on record – they asked me who I would recommend and I did recommend Eddie.” Bruce revealed. “I hope Steven doesn’t mind, but I recommended Steven Gerrard too.”

“It was really, really difficult. And I’ve never done that before – it’s sort of giving up – but I realised it was best for the club.”

He continued: “I thought I had to because we got beat by Tottenham after we scored early – we scored after 20 seconds or something. We got beat 3-2 off Spurs.

“It was the word ‘give up’ – that’s the wrong word for me. I never wanted to give it up, but I realised that I had to and it was more beneficial to the club, that they needed to make a clean sweep and take the negativity out of the equation which was me.”

After he left the Magpies, Bruce was appointed at West Brom in the Championship, but, he was sacked by the Baggies last October after picking up just one win in their opening 13 league games.

Here’s what fans are saying as Steve Bruce claims he ‘offered’ to get sacked by Newcastle and told them who should replace him…

@NielsNufc: I actually kind of believe him and feel for him

@glazerscashcow: He’s a top bloke. Never met the man but every time I’ve listened to an interview he’s as solid as they come. Great captain too 👊🇾🇪🇾🇪🇾🇪

@TFMick1892: £8m payoff – massive walloper

@J0ENUFC: Got paid off 8m and slagged Eddie off for calling him “the fella who got Bournemouth relegated” and now he’s saying he recommended him for the job 🤣

@Junkenstein72: What a bloke eh? Recommends Eddie Howe after calling him ‘that fella who got Bournemouth relegated’. He has redeemed himself a tiny bit if his admission of being the last negative is true, but he then went on to do the same at West Brom, so I’m not so sure of his contrition

@CjShaw90: “The fella that got Bournemouth relegated” ey Steve. You really recommended him 😂 I’m sure the huge payoff played it’s part. Full respect to you if any of this is true but I highly doubt it. Moving on. #nufc

@DammitMarty: So after referring to him as “that bloke who got Bournemouth relegated” he turns around and recommends him to the new owners to take his job! Riiiiight. Also, the Spurs game was on a Sunday.

@AngelNUFC: The people feeling sorry for Bruce need to give their heads a wobble, he wanted a big payout and that is why he told them to remove him. Look at the way he treats the tenants in his houses, he’s not a nice guy #NUFC

@geordiefoo: Yep he done the best thing for the club waiting for the sack and his huge payout. Nothing else he could have done there once he realised he was the problem

@KeithWhalen1969: Several players already at the club under Bruce are now unrecognisable in how well they play and general fitness. He took £ 8 million when he left and was never a good manager, his record shows that. He is also on record as being dismissive of Eddie, and as go Stevy G!

@HamImages: Hardest thing I’ve ever done, I could hardly carry the suitcase full of cash, is was that heavy.

@david_dewinter: Grrr, nasty Steve Bruce failed as a manager. Lovely murderous regime as club owners though. The moral state of Newcastle Utd, amazing what their fans forgive and don’t forgive.

@paulcoldman5: See I don’t dislike Bruce as a person he obviously knew the feeling round the club and the feeling of the fans but look he had a job to do and his brand of football is woeful but he can only work with what he had and do the job the way he knows how but that’s life fair play to him for stepping back and telling the club to take him out the equation that speaks volumes to his morals and decency

@23rodge: Except that he didn’t do that. He’s rewriting history. He gave an interview staying he wanted to be given a chance, hung around for a £8m pay off & ridiculed Eddie Howe to the press when it was suggested he could replace him. In no way did he recommend him

@ianparry9:
– PLEASE Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story eh
– At the time He stated he wanted a chance to show the new owners what he could do
– Re Eddie “That fella that got Bournemouth relegated”
– Let’s not talk about the unfit squad or the amount of time off Steve and Alex had

@MarkPorteous6: Have my doubts about his sincerity or how genuine this story is. That said, if it’s true fair play to him in stepping aside. Only question for me is the recommendation of Howe, seems to coincidental that. Like he’s trying to claim credit…

@geordienewt: Massive respect for walking away without any compensation AND recommending Eddie Howe for the job!

@Dan103929: He had a good payoff lined up and knew his time was up. He probably made it easier for the owners. Part of our past and he actually looks well compared to when he was at us. Enjoy retirement Steve.

@John_Regan_: Bloke is an absolute W⚓️

@JackMccullaghhh: He’s so full of shit, I can’t believe he’s trying to make himself out as a top bloke for leaving

@paarsons: “You might have to take me out of the equation. ”By that he meant, “Sack me because I’m fucking useless, I’m getting hounded for being fucking useless and I want an 8 million quid payoff so I can retire a rich man.” Fat fucking prick, I wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire.

@Magpie24_7: So he ‘recommends’ Eddie Howe after calling him ‘that fella who got Bournemouth relegated’ … alrighty then! 💩 Also made sure he got his pay off, a payoff for being incompetent – AGAIN – his calling card! 💰 Steve Bruce is such a 🔔🔚

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