Journalist close to Steve Bruce releases new report after NUFC boss holds talks with Lee Charnley

by Olly Hawkins · Published 29 March 2021, 20:09

According to The Telegraph's Luke Edwards, Steve Bruce was involved in a host of meetings with club officials on Monday after The Chronicle revealed that 95% of Newcastle fans wanted him gone from a recent survey.

That said, the North-East reporter insists that these talks concluded with the overriding decision that he will NOT be sacked as Newcastle United manager.

The Telegraph also claim that there is a 'growing belief' from key figures at the club that Bruce will remain in charge until the end of the season.

Sadly, this should probably come as no surprise by now, as we would've sacked him straight after the Brighton game and sourced a replacement over the international break if Mike Ashley was going to pull the trigger!

Edwards also reveals a frustrating view from the Steve Bruce camp, saying he 'thought long and hard' about his future after the dismal defeat at Brighton, but insists he won't walk away - stating it's not about the money - and that he believes there isn't anyone out there who'd be able to do a better job in the circumstances...

Here's a snippet from Luke Edwards' latest piece for The Telegraph:

Steve Bruce will not be sacked as Newcastle United manager despite a frantic day of meetings with club officials after a survey in a local paper suggested 95% of fans wanted him to go.

The Newcastle head coach had a series of talks at the training ground on Monday, including with managing director Lee Charnley, but the club showed no sign of any desire to remove Bruce. Many key figures at the club are now expressing a growing belief Bruce will stay in charge until the end of the season while the manager is believed to have stressed his determination to continue despite intense and sustained criticism of both him and owner Mike Ashley.

More than a week has passed since Newcastle were comprehensively outplayed in a 3-0 defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion, the team sitting directly above them in the table.

It left Bruce’s side fourth from bottom, just two points better off than a Fulham team, led by a confident sounding manager, Scott Parker.

Bruce has thought long and hard about his position since the Brighton defeat but is adamant he will not walk away from the fight and does not feel there is anyone who can replace him who would do a better job in the current circumstances.

As a result, the 60-year-old will not yield in the face of supporter and local media pressure to quit.

It is understood that the impending return of top goalscorer Callum Wilson and playmaker Allan Saint-Maximin have raised confidence levels.

Sources close to the former Manchester United captain have strenuously denied he is only staying because he is waiting for the pay off that will come if he is sacked.

That compensation payment is thought to be in the region of £4m, but Bruce does not need the money and intends to still be in charge of the team at the start of next season, having kept them in the Premier League.

Bruce has not got things right often enough this season and although performances had improved before the disgracefully limp display at Brighton, three defeats in seven games has not been balanced enough by one win and three draws.

The excuses are not there to defend him, the mitigating circumstances of a severe Covid outbreak in the autumn and injuries to key players are not persuasive enough to explain why they have allowed a ten-point cushion between themselves and the drop zone to be eroded to just two.

Nevertheless, the mood inside the training ground, which has taken on a siege mentality this week with staff trying to block out the outside noise and players told to stay off social media, was said to be upbeat and determined.