Alan Shearer is, and always will be, a legend at Newcastle, but his comments about Steve Bruce in his column for the Sun’s printed edition irked me.
He was accurate with his view that Newcastle – on the opening two performances – are relegation candidates.
He is right when he says we were “all over the place defensively” and that we deserved the “hiding” we got at Norwich on Saturday.
He was also spot on with his opinion that with Rafa Benitez we were often difficult to beat.
But I could not bring myself to agree with his comments that in the “war” between the Mike Ashley and the fans, “a lot of people are caught in the middle of it, including Steve Bruce”.
Yes, there is an ensuing battle between supporters and the owner. Yes, there probably are people caught up in the middle of it – but Steve Bruce is not one of them.
Steve Bruce inserted himself into the situation.
He knew what was going on at the club – he admitted as much when he spoke to the media after the appointment.
He was given countless warnings by people within the game – Shearer himself being one of them – to avoid the job at all costs.
But he took it anyway.
Steve Bruce is not an innocent victim caught up in fan anger
He is not someone caught up in the middle of something. He knew what he was coming into from the outset.
Many fans see him as complicit by his actions, and should take the flak that comes his way regardless.
He is not an innocent member of the Newcastle United box office staff, who have to listen to angry fans on the phone as they cancel their season tickets; or the groundsman who prepares the pitch in all weather, at all times, day and night; or the tea-lady and restaurant workers, who have to serve all and sundry with a smile on their faces, week in, week out.
Those people are caught in the middle of something they have no control over.
So please do not tell me that Steve Bruce is an innocent victim caught up in the animosity between owner and customers.
His situation is of his own making, and he should be held to account accordingly.
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