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Steve Bruce admits he’s waiting to see “what happens” after Newcastle United’s weak showing at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Newcastle still sent Bruce out to hold his press conference to face the media last night without an immediate call being made that night to dispense with the former Manchester United captain.
With Mike Ashley in Dubai, on business, the options are to pay Bruce a handsome seven-figure sum or take a chance and stay with him for the last nine games.
In a difficult press conference for Bruce, he was asked if he expected a Middle East phone call from Ashley after the loss to the Seagulls.
Bruce, in response to a question from Chronicle Live, said: “I accept, without a call, that it was not good enough.
“I have to accept that the man in charge that the ball stops with me. I’ve been at it for 20 years and I understand what it is like.
“I don’t need any calls. That wasn’t good enough and I have to accept it and see what unfolds.”
And when asked to summarize his emotions, Bruce, who seemed visibly stressed, said, “Disappointed, frustrated, angry too, I guess.
“It was a very difficult night for us. We have worked tirelessly on how we were going to play against Brighton.
“We just didn’t do enough with or without the ball in a great game.
“We have to admit that Brighton performed better than us in every department.”
Sky Sports then asked Bruce if he expected to lose his job, adding, “As I’ve always said, it’s for other people to answer, not me.
“What I will not do is give up anything because we have a bad loss.
“We have been good, not great, for the last few weeks.
“But tonight we have to accept the criticism that will come to us and the consequences that are presented to us.
“We just weren’t good enough.
“Of course the ball stops with me, it always does, and I have no problem (with that), because the way we play tonight I fully understand the frustration and disappointment, and rightly so.”
The Toon boss left with the team after the game and was asked if he would resign or continue fighting.
Bruce said, “I believe that.
“I’ve been around the block many times, you don’t make 980 weird games with that experience.
“I have tried to take advantage of it in the last few weeks in particular.
“I’m not the type to walk away from a bad loss.
“You are going to have to ask others, if you ask the same question …”
Now Newcastle are facing an international rift which may see an internal investigation into why the team have won just two games in 20.
Bruce continued: “You have to accept defeat, and I’ll probably feel worse the next day.
“I have to deal with the consequences.
“I was absolutely amazed at Brighton and how they were so far ahead of us in every department.
“We didn’t do enough.
“That is the biggest frustration.
“They can hit you, but it’s the way they hit you and I have to accept that they hit us too easily.
“You accept that when you play against some of the great teams in the Premier League you are not good enough, but tonight in all the departments we were not good enough.”
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