‘Tactically inept cabbage-head’: Steve Bruce opens up on abuse he faced as Newcastle boss

Steve Bruce sacked

The news that has been expected for the last several weeks was forthcoming on Wednesday morning.

Newcastle’s new owners have officially announced that Steve Bruce has left his position with the North East outfit, with Graeme Jones set to be in charge on an interim basis:

#NUFC can confirm that Steve Bruce has left his position as head coach by mutual consent. The club would like to place on record its gratitude to Steve for his contribution and wishes him well for the future.

Graeme Jones will lead the team on an interim basis, starting with Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace. He will be supported by the coaching team of Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence, Ben Dawson and Simon Smith.

Graeme Jones will lead the team on an interim basis, starting with Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

He will be supported by the coaching team of Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence, Ben Dawson and Simon Smith. https://t.co/uvkGGdpEUa

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) October 20, 2021

Bruce opens up on abuse

Bruce was appointed Newcastle boss in July of 2019 and went on to manage 97 games for his boyhood club.

In that time, Bruce picked up 29 wins, drew 25 games and lost 43. Bruce leaves the club sat in the relegation zone, having failed to pick up a league win so far this term.

And now, after being sacked, Bruce has opened up on the abuse he has received whilst he was in charge of the club.

Firstly, Bruce has admitted that this may have been his last job:

“I think this might be my last job. It’s not just about me; it’s taken its toll on my whole family because they are all Geordies and I can’t ignore that.”

Then, later in the interview, the former Manchester United player opened up on some of the criticism/ abuse he received, including being called a ‘tactically inept cabbage-head’:

“I really have to thank all the people who have worked alongside me, because I can be demanding and I can be hard work – especially when I was younger. When we get beat, I get very low, but when you are managing in the Premier League with Birmingham, Wigan, Hull, Sunderland you do get better at dealing with it. You have to.

“By the time I got to Newcastle, I thought I could handle everything thrown at me but it has been very, very tough. To never really be wanted, to feel that people wanted me to fail, to read people constantly saying I would fail, that I was useless, a fat waste of space, a stupid, tactically inept cabbage-head or whatever. And it was from day one.”

Steve Bruce sacked by Newcastle and reveals: ‘It was hard being called an inept cabbage-head’ | @LukeEdwardsTele #nufc https://t.co/XgGQqLjnIF

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) October 20, 2021

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