Steve Bruce in shock revelation

From the Sun...


STEVE BRUCE has admitted that being a boyhood Newcastle fan made his job at Sunderland a nightmare.

The 51-year-old was sacked as Black Cats boss in November and replaced by Martin O’Neill.

Bruce had to put up with abuse for being a Geordie from some sections of the Stadium of Light faithful throughout his tenure.

And now the former Manchester United centre-back has revealed the vitriol and hatred he was subjected to made his job almost untenable.

Bruce said: “I must admit that being a Geordie came back to haunt me.

“The hatred I suffered was unbelievable. It was brutal, it really was.

“In fairness it was a minority of Sunderland fans who abused me but it was way over the top and very hurtful.

“I can’t change my upbringing. I am who I am and proud of it. But I paid a big price.

“As a manager who has spent a lifetime in football I was prepared to take whatever came my way but for my closest relatives it was very different.

“Both my family and my wife’s family are from Newcastle and they were deeply hurt and affected by what happened.

“I had to batten down the hatches and lie low. I didn’t go out to my local pub.

“I didn’t want to invite abuse.”

The stunning form shown by O’Neill’s Sunderland has been in stark contrast to the team under Bruce, with the Black Cats sitting pretty in the top half of the Premier League table.

But Bruce is quick to point out that the majority of players who have performed exceptionally under O’Neill were brought in under his watch.

Bruce said: “Martin O’Neill is currently getting the pats on the back for what he has achieved. He’s a good manager and he has undoubtedly motivated the players.

“But what is now being seen is the players I brought in bedding down and proving how good they are.

“James McClean and Stephane Sessegnon are the headline stealers but we signed them, of course.

“I’m genuinely pleased for Sunderland and for Martin. This is a big club and it ought to have success.”

 

Someone want to tell him we don't like him either? He's been a Manc for 20 odd years frankly.

 

Which song was is Brucie?

 

That's funny because Geordies consider him a Manc, although he did attempt to sabotage Sunderland so he gets my respect for that. In all seriousness though it really is sad, he needs to get over this victim complex and move on with his life. He got ****ing fired because Sunderland won like 5 games or something the entire calendar year, nobody to blame but himself really.

 

Attempt to sabotage Sunderland? I think you're giving a lot of credit to a terminally woeful football manager.

 

Not all Sunderland fans hate him for being a Geordie just a **** manager.
He should draw a line over it and move on, Sunderland have.

 

Got no sympathy for the guy at the end of the day he was the one who chose to manage Sunderland knowing his roots, so he must have known that the roots would come into it if he didn't get results.

 

I think the fact that he was a **** manager was the main reason they hated him.

 

"...with the Black Cats sitting pretty in the top half..." Typical Sun that. There's always a fabrication of the truth in their paper somewhere.

 

I don't hate or dislike Brucey.

I just loved to laugh my arse off at his miserable face when he failed

XD

I loved the jokes about him, but I don't hate him.