Bruce’s happiest times were at smaller clubs and he starts his biggest Premier League job as a manager with eyes fully open
Steve Bruce is normally a safe if somewhat unexciting pair of managerial hands, though as supporters of Sheffield United, Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic will attest, he does have a penchant for resigning or leaving to further his career elsewhere. As recently as January he was claiming his 10th club, Sheffield Wednesday, might be the last he would manage, but presumably he always knew that if the call came from Newcastle he would find it hard to resist.
What he does at most clubs is steady the defence, sort out a settled team and begin to make small but significant improvements. Newcastle are certainly in need of someone who can do that but they have just lost an arch-pragmatist and organisational master in Rafa Benítez, and it remains doubtful whether Bruce is quite up to the Spaniard’s tactical standards or as stoically diplomatic in adverse circumstances.
Related: Newcastle appoint Steve Bruce as manager to succeed Rafael Benítez
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