Steve Bruce has admitted that his Newcastle United exit has given him the hunger to succeed again in football management.
The former Magpies boss left the club midway through last season with the club’s new owners opting to hire Eddie Howe as his replacement.
The 61-year old had been in charge at St James’ Park for two full seasons before being dismissed, earning two mid-table finishes for the club in the Premier League.
Since departing Newcastle, Bruce has taken over at Championship side West Brom.
The manner and hostility of his exit from his former club is spurring the former defender to continue going with his career.
The Baggies’ manager didn’t want to have his lengthy career end on such a low, and wants to succeed at the Hawthorns.
“I couldn’t finish my managerial career on what happened at Newcastle,” said Bruce, via Chronicle Live.
“I’d taken too much stick - I was being ridiculed and there’s nothing worse. You can accept it if you’ve picked the wrong team.
“But I was being pulled to pieces because people were saying I couldn’t take a warm up - that I’d given the players too many days off.
"I knew what the team was doing on the pitch wasn’t what Newcastle United fans wanted. And I knew they were fed up. They wanted change.
“But I had a brief to keep the club in the Premier League and we finished 12th and 13th in my two full seasons. I knew we weren’t entertaining or attractive to watch. I’ll hold my hands up.
“We were pragmatic, defensive, I did what I had to do. Would the sale to the new owners have gone ahead if the club was in the Championship? I’m not so sure.”
Bruce was unable to turn things around at West Brom last season, having replaced Valerien Ismael in February.
The team was in a run of poor form when he took over, which continued until late March.
That saw the Baggies fall out of the running for a play-off place, ultimately finishing 10th in the Championship table, eight points adrift of the top six.
The Verdict
The level of hostility at Newcastle was quite strange considering Bruce had kept the team in the Premier League rather comfortably.
But with the new owners coming in, it made sense for the 61-year old to go, with the club’s ambition now higher than just staying in the top flight.
Bruce’s style of football has never been attractive but has gotten results.
His time at West Brom hasn’t gone swimmingly so far, but the resources the club has available should make fighting for promotion next campaign an absolute must.