Steve Bruce expounds on why he put Matt Ritchie on the team sheet, the Saudis have taken action to prevent intellectual property theft within their borders, and Allan Saint-Maximin gets high praise from his head coach.
Here is the roundup of today’s articles and news from The Newcastle United Blog.
- Steve Bruce is thrilled with the hard work the lads have put in under trying conditions.
- Bruce explains the situation surrounding Matt Ritchie’s surprise start yesterday.
- Saudi Arabia confirms the blocking of websites that violate intellectual property rights.
- Sunday’s result sees Newcastle looking up the table rather than down.
- Steve Bruce talks about one of the most gifted players he’s worked with in Allan Saint-Maximin.
- This player has something special and has captured our man of the match poll with his performance.
- Our poll for what fans think the outcome against Aston Villa will be.
- Craig Hope back claims that the consortium has not drafted a managerial shortlist yet.
426 comments so far
martoon
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:08 AM
Comment #361I think we can see from the comments that Bruce certainly divides fan’s opinions but then most managers do!
From a personal point of view, like many others, Steve Bruce would not have been my choice after Rafa but you have to give credit where it is due, he has done a lot better than I thought he would. Saying that some of the football this season has been dreadful to watch but, saying that, since he made the switch to 4 4 2 it has been a lot better and at the end of the day points on the board are the most important – nice football is an added bonus.
After the takeover I think Bruce will be retained initially for consistency and to maintain a smooth transition but eventually I think he will be replaced (as all managers are sooner or later) similar to City with Mark Hughes.
Can I also add that while Bruce is the manager of the team that I support I will treat him with respect and some of the name calling on here by so called nufc fans is a disgrace!
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:09 AM
Comment #362Mund,
Imagine my surprise to then see you play the “can’t we just start the day on a positige vibe” card!! I’d love to mate, but sadly I woke up to some little toe-rag calling me names. If you want posituve vibes buddy, you might want to think about how you interact with others 😉
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:09 AM
Comment #363mercato day |
Saudi sports channels have reached an agreement with the Bundesliga to transfer German League matches for 3 seasons.
cant find anything when googling it though so id wait for confirmation.
however it would be a safe bet to assume that KSA will buy up the rights for all the major leagues moving forward.
Mattroge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:13 AM
Comment #364I haven’t fallen out with anybody! I actually find it interesting that a couple on here would be happy to retain Bruce and whilst I don’t agree I can respect the fact that everybody is entitled to their own opinion.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:13 AM
Comment #365Last one for you Mund,
This one you’re going to love…
#346 you spelled sceptical with a “k” whichis proof you are Tony Baloney according to some on here… 😉
The ledge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:14 AM
Comment #366Martoon I don’t call him names I’m fat myself (so the wife says)
But he will get no respect from me its like sayin I should respect ashley for having us on solid financial ground not a chance .
bruce showed no respect to the Wednesday fans .
The players will get my respect
Munster Mag
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:16 AM
Comment #367Ledge How’s the health?
dougie
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:18 AM
Comment #368Bruce has one of the worst managerial records in Premier League history over a sustained period of time.There is absolutely no chance of him remaining manager next season.He is a perfect fit for Sports Direct FC but Newcastle United FC are soon going to have ambitions higher than the current avoid relegation by spending as little as possible scenario that we have had to put up with for the last 13 years.Anyone that thinks Bruce has got any chance of managing NUFC next season are completely deluded.
The ledge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:18 AM
Comment #369Martoon did you respect joe kinnear when he was in charge ?
Australian Pie
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:20 AM
Comment #370Kevin give it a rest mate. I couldn’t care less who likes you and who doesn’t.
I think no one should, be surprised if we get bought, spend some money but still finish around the 8th to 12th mark next season.
I hope they do use someone other than Bruce but if they chose to keep him I wouldn’t be anywhere near as bothered as I would have been at the start of the season
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:20 AM
Comment #371Martoon @ 361
Well said.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:21 AM
Comment #372Okay so short of an absolute disaster in the last 8 games, Brucey’s kept us up. Not bad, but not a great season so far either. We’ve been bullied by most teams and we’ve struggled to control the ball even against lower league sides in the cups.
Let’s aim a little higher than Steve Bruce shall we? We’ve got some talented players in the team and it shows in the way we are able to hold biggers teams off and cause them problems. The reason we’re not asserting more control comes down to tactical choices for me, and that is on Brucey’s head. He’s had enough years of failure as a manager and he hasn’t shown any signs that he is ready to guide our club to success. We’ve struggled all season and rode our luck a lot along the way, but luck runs out eventually and we’ll need to buck our ideas up if we’re going to grow as a club.
The ledge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:21 AM
Comment #373Getting better munster thanks for asking.
Slowly they tell me but it ain’t half boring my first time out of work since I was 16 crawling the walls to tell you the truth cant even do a bit of gardening .
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:23 AM
Comment #374Australian Pie
Why didn’t people say that to Mund when he just started insulting me out of the blue? I don’t care either, just wanted to point out how hypocritical they were being and how they were clearly trying to bait me.
Anglo Saxon
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:24 AM
Comment #375Sympathy INGNORE THE TWAT.
martoon
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:25 AM
Comment #376The ledge@369 – I didn’t have any confidence in him BUT I didn’t come on her and call him childish names either (maybe it’s a generational thing) – I normally referred to him as JFK.
carltoon
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:25 AM
Comment #377I think Hibbit is right, the new owners will decide, have we the fans ever had the choice, no. Let’s hope we have a good finish to the season.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:26 AM
Comment #378Dougie,
Very long shot but is your name Tom?
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:27 AM
Comment #379Anglo,
Don’t worry mate I am 😉
justthetoonofus
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:27 AM
Comment #380Imagine if Bruce leads us to the FA Cup Final, and we go on a run in the Prem which sees us in the Europa league next season. Perfect start for the new owners and manager. W
Australian Pie
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:28 AM
Comment #381Kevin
If the fish bites they will keep throwing the rod, coming on and being completely negative about out 3-0 win was unnecessary.
Also you mention everything negative this season is due to Bruce. Do you think it would be tough to do as well as we have in a season with Muto as your only fit No. 9?
Mattroge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:29 AM
Comment #382Marton @361, spot-on mate.
Rotonda heights
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:30 AM
Comment #383testing
Rotonda heights
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:31 AM
Comment #384Anyone else had ” messages must be shorter?”
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:31 AM
Comment #385Aus
I wasn’t “completely negative” about the 3-0. I said it was a great result, I was pleased by the outcome, Matt Ritchie’s goal was a great finish, Joelinton moved well for the last goal, plenty of positives. All I said was there were also some negatives to address, that we don’t look like a top 7 side (which is up for grabs this season) and that I am not getting too carried away just yet. That was it. I didn’t say we were awful and we looked like relegation candidates or anything like that. I was just trying to say it’s a good start but we need to build on it and improve.
Munster Mag
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:32 AM
Comment #386Ledge hang in there it will get better, small steps.
FWIW I wouldnt compare Kinnear with SB.
I appreciate that you dont like Bruce , but Kinnear was out of the game when Ashley plucked him from the local wine bar they drank in. It was a completely bizarre move, mad.
Rotonda heights
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:32 AM
Comment #387Munster, I’ll try this in 3 parts! Still having problems sending from last night!
I think you have to put this into context. We had just lost a very good manager and allegedly he was replaced by someone way down on Charnley’s list. The 40M for Joel also seemed to be Ash’s parting 2 finger salute to Rafa and going for Bruce seemed to indicate a return to the McCardew level of coaches. There was antipathy towards Bruce initially as our fears were borne out with some turgid park the bus hoofball with only 1/2 chances per game, only glossed over by the amazing performances of Dubravka.
Rotonda heights
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:33 AM
Comment #388I, like many fans had long advocated a back 4 but I resented Bruce’s not so subtle jibes at Rafa. You make your own case as a coach, not finger point at a previous incumbent. Bruce has a decent squad, augmented by a full time Miguel, the discovery of Willems and who would now swap St Max for Perez? Plus imagine if a 40M striker hadn’t scored goals under Rafa you would have been so baying for blood. Added to the pot were 3 more than decent January arrivals.
I enjoyed Sunday and if momentum is anything to go by I would love it, love it if we could beat city. Then we have a nice problem, re – should we keep Bruce, CV notwithstanding, or look to a Poch type long term. Right now I’m just enjoying better football on show.
The ledge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:33 AM
Comment #389Martoon it could well be a generational thing i don’t think it is though we have all ages on this blog that call each other names .
But no one is going to tell me who to respect and thats the bottom line really not arguing just the way it is .
Munster Mag
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:33 AM
Comment #390Rotonda, I had that too. Must be a sign.
It didnt say ” Stop talking shite Munster Mag ” though, which was a result 🙂
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:33 AM
Comment #391The reaction to Bruce is just typical of common human behaviour.
Most of those dissing him are the same ones who said we’d be relegated by Xmas, all the decent players would want away and the club would end up buried in Champs mid table mediocrity.
Instead of admitting they were wrong and giving him some credit we get told ‘if it wasn’t for Dubs we’d be bottom’ ‘we’ve been lucky in every game we’ve won’ and ‘ the football has been dire’. The last one is true but it was hardly Barcelona stuff under Rafa was it.
Admitting you were wrong is the sign of a man,
Making excuses is the sign of a mouse.
Kevin Vegan
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:34 AM
Comment #392Not sure what your question about Muto was supposed to be about but I suspect he would’ve got us more than 1 goal in his first 29 games. Most of our defence was averaging more goals per game than Joelinton.
The ledge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:35 AM
Comment #393I dont compare bruce to kinnear munster he is not that bad .
He is in same league as Mc claren and pardew for me .
Mund
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:36 AM
Comment #394Oh my the vegan has an appetite for me today….
The irony in your first post mate is beyond belief. Oh how lovely that I was on your mind blah blah blah then you do the exact same thing.
Funny how a lot more go on about you then they do about me
NUFC FOR SALE
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:37 AM
Comment #395I don’t think any fan will care a less if new owners get rid of Bruce. It’s not like he can reference a moral high ground after dumping Shef Wed.
I think even if we won the cup and finished 6th or 7th fans would still be okay with replacing him.
However from a pure neutral point of view nufc will get absolutely hammered in the press if they did.
I dont think Bruce is the guy to take the club forward and hes certainly not the Marketing centre piece the SA guys will want……but yes it would be u unbelievably harsh if he won the cup and got sacked.
Nowt else hed go down in history.
Anglo Saxon
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:38 AM
Comment #396Mund 375 mate.
The ledge
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:39 AM
Comment #397Bsib he done what he got paid to do keep us up .
But anyone thinking he is going to take us to the next level is just blinded by what they say are his achievement this year .
As hibbit said the new owners will make that decision not us .
Munster Mag
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:41 AM
Comment #398Rotonda, looking at you comment, I agree with much of it but not all.
The extreme antipathy towards Bruce was OTT I felt. My opinion was to give the man a chance and I suppose I was pretty robust in that, the same was I was pretty unstinting in the way I thought Rafa was being put above criticism, which i also thought was OTT.
It has probably taken Bruce too long to change the football, but losing two strikers was huge, and Joel was nearly a liability, and not one we can hang him with. ASM has been a huge gain for him, but losing Rondon and Perez was a serious hit.
The man has been dignified, calm, the players love him, he has had a verrrrry good keeper ( critically, otherwise we might be in the brown stuff) but the football is very decent now and I think those of us who said “give him a chance” feel reasonably vindicated you know?
Munster Mag
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:43 AM
Comment #399Ledge, you asked Martoon if he respected Joe Kinnear when he was in charge. Martoon had been talking about Bruce. It seemed pretty comparative to me. Either way I agree, Kinnear was a bizarre choice.
#cans
Jun 23, 2020 at 9:46 AM
Comment #400Bruce will definitely be staying until we get a new owner and possibly beyond… PFI have already indicated we won’t be going overboard with new signings but have a slow gradual build of new incomings …will poch or any other good manager join without a huge transfer budget to try and make an instant impact …unlike Bruce they won’t be able to blame the previous manager for signing only defensive minded players or drilling any attacking skills out of them.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Bruce was allowed to start next season and see how he gets on. However, a lot of fans would be underwhelmed and it could take the shine off a new owners fanfare and dull the bright new dawn