Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce looks set to stay – for now at least.
According to The Chronicle, Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is reluctant to sack Steve Bruce – because he paid compensation to get him from Sheffield Wednesday.
The Magpies pounced to bring in Bruce as their new manager over the summer, having seen Rafael Benitez leave the club at the end of his contract in June.
Despite being a boyhood Newcastle fan, Bruce wasn’t a popular choice. He had been sacked by Aston Villa last year, he has history with Sunderland and wasn’t an appointment showing any kind of ambition.
So far, Newcastle have won just once under Bruce, and suffered major humiliation on Sunday afternoon as they were smashed 5-0 away at Leicester City.
Newcastle were completely rudderless throughout, leading to fans wanting Bruce gone already – but that seemingly won’t be happening, with Ashley firstly willing to let him have a little bit of time to get settled at St James’ Park.
Additionally, having paid to secure him from Sheffield Wednesday this summer, Ashley now doesn’t want to pay cash to sack him and then replace him either, which will be a worrying message for Newcastle fans to hear.
Ashley is known to be frugal, in the kindest possible terms, and the idea that he won’t want to sack Bruce because he’s paid for him means fans will fear that his reign will go on and on even if Newcastle get cut adrift.
Hopefully that doesn’t happen and Bruce can turn things around, but fans will need to see a major improvement quickly, or things may turn even more sour on Tyneside, with supporters already fuming with Ashley.
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