Jimbo 133 Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 Steve Bruce admits he still thinks about his decision to turn down the offer to manage boyhood club Newcastle United. The Premiership side came calling two-and-a-half years ago following their decision to dismiss Sir Bobby Robson, only for Bruce to spurn their advances. Earlier this season and with 'Bruce out' chants ringing around St Andrews, the Newcastle-born tactician must have been ruing his decision to turn his back on a switch to St James' Park. However, Bruce has overseen a transformation of the club's fortunes and they now play Newcastle on Saturday in an FA Cup tie sitting top of the Championship and favourites to win promotion. It is, though, with genuine affection that Bruce talks of Newcastle as he reflects on the biggest decision of his career in management. "I am a typical Geordie, who is black and white through and through," he told the Sunday Express. "You talk about big decisions in your life. To get the opportunity to manage them was probably the biggest compliment I've had in football. "Bloody hell, Newcastle wanted me! "It was the hardest decision I've had to make. But to have taken the job would have meant letting down the people here at Birmingham. "I always wonder whether I've closed the door on a dream. As a player I'd always wanted to play for them and then I was given the chance to manage them." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 does that cunt never shut up about it? thats the 2nd or 3rd interview hes done saying how much he loves the club (so much so he used to sneak in as a kid....thieving little fat fook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus 0 Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 rather have o'neill - and i fucking hate o'neill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@yourservice 67 Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 fuck off squashed nosh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asteroidblitz 12 Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 "I always wonder whether I've closed the door on a dream." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6321 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Steve Bruce - no one loves you, we don't care..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio 0 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Would Bruce have forced Bellamy and Robert out putting the club millions in debt searching for replacements? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6321 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Would Bruce have forced Bellamy and Robert out putting the club millions in debt searching for replacements? So on the basis that Souness was dreadful (which no-one is denying), do you think that justifies the case that Bruce should have been appointed instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio 0 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Would Bruce have forced Bellamy and Robert out putting the club millions in debt searching for replacements? So on the basis that Souness was dreadful (which no-one is denying), do you think that justifies the case that Bruce should have been appointed instead? Out of the two of them I would have prefered Bruce, thats not to say that I think he is anywhere good enough to manage us but he wouldn't have brought as much harm to the club as Souness did. Souness, Bruce and Roeder are all about the same standard as managers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Out of the two of them I would have prefered Bruce, thats not to say that I think he is anywhere good enough to manage us but he wouldn't have brought as much harm to the club as Souness did. Souness, Bruce and Roeder are all about the same standard as managers. Fuck me Mystic Meg, any chance you could give these predictions earlier than a year before it happens next time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio 0 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Out of the two of them I would have prefered Bruce, thats not to say that I think he is anywhere good enough to manage us but he wouldn't have brought as much harm to the club as Souness did. Souness, Bruce and Roeder are all about the same standard as managers. Fuck me Mystic Meg, any chance you could give these predictions earlier than a year before it happens next time? I've said it all along tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 26853 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 But to have taken the job would have meant letting down the people here at Birmingham. Aye because thats stopped you jumping ship in the past hasn't it Steve? Twat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish Mag 3 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Out of the two of them I would have prefered Bruce, thats not to say that I think he is anywhere good enough to manage us but he wouldn't have brought as much harm to the club as Souness did. Souness, Bruce and Roeder are all about the same standard as managers. Fuck me Mystic Meg, any chance you could give these predictions earlier than a year before it happens next time? To be a fair I reckon a fair few, myself included, would have taken Bruce over Souness. What with the characters we had regardless of what Souness had achieved in the past he was always going to be a nightmare and the wrong appointment for our club. I remember the day he got the job the first thing that was said to me by nearly everyone this side of the border was "So thats Bellamy and Robert out on their arse then..." As much as I don't particularly rate Bruce, Werepig O'Leary etc, I am pretty confident not one of them could have messed up this club nor waste so much money whilst leaving a small squad in such a short space of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Lazaru 0 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Out of the two of them I would have prefered Bruce, thats not to say that I think he is anywhere good enough to manage us but he wouldn't have brought as much harm to the club as Souness did. Souness, Bruce and Roeder are all about the same standard as managers. Fuck me Mystic Meg, any chance you could give these predictions earlier than a year before it happens next time? To be a fair I reckon a fair few, myself included, would have taken Bruce over Souness. What with the characters we had regardless of what Souness had achieved in the past he was always going to be a nightmare and the wrong appointment for our club. I remember the day he got the job the first thing that was said to me by nearly everyone this side of the border was "So thats Bellamy and Robert out on their arse then..." As much as I don't particularly rate Bruce, Werepig O'Leary etc, I am pretty confident not one of them could have messed up this club nor waste so much money whilst leaving a small squad in such a short space of time. Completely agree. And it was something i've always thought. I wouldn't (and don't) want Bruce as manager, but i'd havetaken him over Souness because watever he may have done (and my guess would be pretty average) he wouldn't have cost us players like Souness or pissed away quite the same amount of money in such disaterous fashion whilst ruining the squad. Same with when we were linked with Venables. I didn't want him at all, but Venables short term till the end of the season vs Souness long term...i'd have personally carried Venables from cockneyland myself. He'd have done nothing spectacular, but for whatever reason players like him and we wouldn't have had him fall out with players and reck the squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill 0 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 "I am a typical Geordie, who is black and white through and through," he told the Sunday Express. Oh fuck off please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCUM 1 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 "I am a typical Geordie, who is black and white through and through," he told the Sunday Express. Oh fuck off please! Am I missing something with Bruce? Has he done or said something I've missed because I can never understand all these 'plastic geordie' comments he gets. I can understand people not wanting him for his managerial skills but can never understand why he gets slagged by you for his geordie roots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4016 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 "I am a typical Geordie, who is black and white through and through," he told the Sunday Express. Oh fuck off please! Am I missing something with Bruce? Has he done or said something I've missed because I can never understand all these 'plastic geordie' comments he gets. I can understand people not wanting him for his managerial skills but can never understand why he gets slagged by you for his geordie roots Because people remember 95/96 when his Sky punditry left nobody in any doubt where he wanted the title to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6321 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 What concerns me most about his comments is that IIRC, he'd recently signed a new contract with Brum when we sacked Robson with a £6m buy out clause. If it's true that we offered him the position then, with everything being done by the book, we'd have had to agreed a compensation fee with Birmingham before we could talk to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCUM 1 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 [because people remember 95/96 when his Sky punditry left nobody in any doubt where he wanted the title to go. ?????????? But he was Man Utd's captain in that season. Of course he wanted to win the title? Is that all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6321 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 [because people remember 95/96 when his Sky punditry left nobody in any doubt where he wanted the title to go. ?????????? But he was Man Utd's captain in that season. Of course he wanted to win the title? Is that all! He's got the comments right but the period wrong. It was the cup final in '99 IIRC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4016 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 [because people remember 95/96 when his Sky punditry left nobody in any doubt where he wanted the title to go. ?????????? But he was Man Utd's captain in that season. Of course he wanted to win the title? Is that all! Hadn't he packed in by then? - if not then it may have been punditry since - my memories are admittedly twisted by bitterness but I definitely remember seeing him sitting in a Sky box after a match between us looking like a lot happier version of Bagpuss then normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4016 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 [because people remember 95/96 when his Sky punditry left nobody in any doubt where he wanted the title to go. ?????????? But he was Man Utd's captain in that season. Of course he wanted to win the title? Is that all! He's got the comments right but the period wrong. It was the cup final in '99 IIRC Thanks Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCUM 1 Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 Ah right, that explains it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6321 Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Yup, wanted the club who he played for and had won the cup only 3 years previously to win the cup ahead of the team who he had 'supported all his life' and who had gone 44 years without winning it. Said a hell of a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogmatix 0 Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 (edited) Yup, wanted the club who he played for and had won the cup only 3 years previously to win the cup ahead of the team who he had 'supported all his life' and who had gone 44 years without winning it. Said a hell of a lot. Didn't he sign for Norwich from Gillingham when we were after him ,cos he was such a big Newcastle fan? Edited January 2, 2007 by Dogmatix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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