Steve Bruce is still trying to win over Newcastle United fans, but he is making all the right moves so far.
Steve Bruce will be working hard in the opening weeks of the 2019-20 Premier League season to gradually win over Newcastle United supporters, but he has already made some smart, important decisions in a short time period. The Magpies will be playing in their final preseason friendly today against St. Etienne, but Bruce has been a busy man beyond the field over the last few weeks.
For starters, his quick and clear message to Manchester United over their interest in Sean Longstaff is worth praising. Bruce values the young midfielder and made it clear that he will play an integral role for the Toon for many years to come. In terms of transfer targets, Bruce has shown that he is willing to coach players with potential over experience. Some fans are freaked out by this because it truly is a gamble, however, players like Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin have the skills and potential to help this team break into the top ten. Yes, these players were targeted before Bruce was even our manager, but he analyzed their style of play and was in favor of bringing them in.
The third brilliant decision Bruce has made can be seen on the pitch. Since his first training session, Bruce has implemented a 3-5-2 style of play and this suits the Magpies perfectly for two reasons. Firstly, Bruce is clearly aware of the quality he has in central defense, and by playing three in the back he is boosting their confidence by showing that he trusts them. Secondly, playing two up top is exactly what Newcastle United need to score more goals. The team will get more offensive production out of Miguel Almiron as a striker alongside Joelinton than they did with him as a winger last season.
Best Decision
Finally, we arrive at Bruce’s best decision of the summer. According to a new report, the gaffer is keen on keeping his veterans on Tyneside for the next few seasons. Players like Federico Fernandez and Ki Sung-yueng only have ten months left on their contracts, whereas Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Ritchie and Isaac Hayden will be out of contract in the summer of 2021. Bruce is aware of all this and aims to tie them all down with new contracts at St. James’ Park.