Report suggests Steve Bruce sold his managerial soul to take Newcastle job

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Every Newcastle fan knows Steve Bruce wanted to accept the role as Newcastle boss due to his boyhood love of the club, and regret at having spurned it in earlier years.

But during the Chronicle’s question and answer session, chief football writer, Lee Ryder, has suggested the lengths Bruce went to in order to take it.

Almost every manager or head coach in the English game knows how they want their team to play and, more importantly, who they want to play for them.

But when Ryder was asked whether he believed Bruce has final say on transfers, his reply was startling.

Ryder said: “If you are asking me if there’s a clause in his contract that means he has the power to block any signings coming in, I’d say no.

“Bruce’s brief when appointed was to work with the head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, and Paul Baker and Mick Tait, who he knows well.

“I think if he was dead set against a signing they’d have to listen to him, but I think he is keen to work with the board because he has wanted this job so much.”

It beggars belief that someone would take a job where they do not decide on what players to target and bring to the club.

It also a contrast to what he said in July after his appointment, in fact, it is quite the opposite.

Bruce had insisted he was in control of signings

Back then, when Bruce was asked about his role in transfers, he said: “Recruitment, yes that has insulted me, the things that have been said.

“Let me tell you, if I thought I couldn’t have control of transfers, then of course, I wouldn’t be doing it.

“I wouldn’t do it at all.”

But it seems that doing the job without transfer control is exactly what Bruce is doing, despite his previous protestations.

For a manager to take a job with one hand, proverbially, tied behind his back from the outset, is tantamount to selling his soul as a manager – or head coach.

It also adds to disillusioned fans’ argument that Bruce is nothing more than a yes man for Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley, and the public face to face the music on their behalf when things – usually inevitably – go wrong.