Newcastle United are reportedly on the verge of confirming Steve Bruce as their new manager, but is he a good fit for the St James’ Park club?
Bruce has had an eventful 10 months having been sacked by Aston Villa in October. The 58-year-old took charge of Sheffield Wednesday in February and oversaw a huge improvement as they went from relegation contenders to flirting with the play-offs during his tenure.
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Newcastle have been on the hunt for a replacement since Rafael Benitez departed for China at the end of his deal. Plenty of names have been linked with the Magpies hot seat, including Garry Monk, Eddie Howe, Mikel Arteta and Giovanni van Bronckhorst but it looks as if Bruce is set to take the reins.
The Wednesday boss may not have been first choice, as former manager Sam Allardyce claims he snubbed the chance to hold talks with the club, but could Bruce be the right man to fill the void left by Benitez?
The Pros
Bruce may have a tough time winning the Newcastle faithful over but he is a boyhood fan of the club and that should work in his favour.
The former Manchester United defender managed to get the best out of a limited Wednesday squad last season without making major moves in the transfer market and he will need to do something similar with a limited budget at Newcastle, depending on whether or not any takeover happens.
The Cons
Bruce has enjoyed most of his success as a manager in the second tier having twice helped Birmingham City and Hull City secure promotion to the Premier League.
The former defender has a solid record in the Premier League but has been relegated, with the Blues and the Tigers, and the fact he managed Newcastle’s rivals Sunderland could make him an unpopular choice.
The exit of Benitez means Newcastle have lost a world-class coach and Bruce just doesn’t have that reputation, but if he does manage to get off to a strong start he should be able to win the fans over quickly.
