A few Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media after former manager Rafa Benitez discussed Steve Bruce’s tenure in charge at St. James’ Park following his summer departure.
Benitez walked away from the Toon at the end of his contract in June, having failed to reach an agreement with owner Mike Ashley that would have awarded the Spaniard greater control over the club’s transfer policy.
Bruce has since led the Magpies to six wins in 16 Premier League games and can boast a mid-table position just two points behind fifth-placed Manchester United, having beaten the Red Devils as well as Tottenham Hotspur and held Manchester City to a point.
Benitez has shared that he is ‘really pleased’ that Bruce’s tenure has worked out so far, having been forced to leave as his ambitions were not matched by the club.
“I’m really pleased Newcastle are doing well, and I’m really pleased for Steve Bruce – he’s doing a great job,” Benitez said, while speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (9/12/19).
“That’s what I expected. We wanted to try and get into the top-10, but that wasn’t the idea and it’s fine. Hopefully, they’ll continue to do well.”
Sunday’s come back victory at home to Southampton was our fourth win in six top-flight matches, and enough for the club to rank third on form since the start of November.
Only league-leaders Liverpool and second-placed Leicester City have taken more points than Bruce’s men since November 1, by a margin of five points having won each of their six games played.
Has Bruce done enough to win you over?
Yes, he's doing a great job
No, he needs to do more
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Benitez’s comment regarding the Toon and Bruce’s tenure…
now say it without crying rafa
— sean🦕 (@seang6_) December 9, 2019
Tell you what if it wasn’t for rafas coaching and tactics in previous seasons we wouldn’t have done anywhere near as well as we have
— Matty (@MattySmit15052k) December 10, 2019
I’ll give Bruce credit for the results he’s getting, but would point out to the muppets slating Rafa who brought the current crop of players in? Rafawas building something and elements of that are coming to fruition.
— GPM (@Geoff_NUFC) December 10, 2019
Plus the fact that we are playing in a very similar way to how Rafa set us up. I believe Bruce said the players were so used to playing negative/defensive football. That he couldn’t use the front foot tactics he wanted. Results have been better playing the ‘negative’ way.
— Nathan Hull (@NathElCuchillo) December 10, 2019
Tactical magician
— AJ (@ESNUFC) December 9, 2019
— 29% Battery (@40_40vision) December 9, 2019
In other Newcastle United news, a Sky Sports pundit expects a £40k-p/w Toon man to force his way out of St. James’ Park in January.