Owls boss Steve Bruce confirms talks over Newcastle job

Steve Bruce has held talks with Newcastle United over their vacant managerial position, the Sheffield Wednesday boss confirmed.

Bruce is reportedly Newcastle's top target following the departure of Rafael Benitez at the end of his Magpies contract.

However, the former Sunderland manager says decisions are out of his control until negotiations are completed between the two clubs.

"Speculation is speculation. It's in the hands of the club," Bruce said after the Owls' pre-season victory over Lincoln City. "For me, at this particular moment, there is nothing really to talk about until the two clubs reach some sort of compromise. I've had a conversation [with Newcastle]. It's happening so quickly that I've got to take stock of the whole situation. It's in the hands of both clubs and we'll see what develops over the next 24 to 48 hours.

"The clubs have got to agree before any discussions and all the rest of it. Let's see what happens, I cannot really comment any more than that. Out of respect I thought it was only right to go and talk [to Newcastle], it was over with before it started, thankfully the chairman [Dejphon Chansiri] gave me permission to go and have a conversation.

"I don't really want to talk about dream jobs and all the rest of it, it's a bit pie in the sky at the moment, I'm the Sheffield Wednesday manager and I have to respect that. I've been very, very happy here, of course I have."

 

July 13, 2019

One Owls fan confronted Bruce in the dugout during Saturday's game but the manager, who saw a cabbage thrown his way by a disgruntled supporter while in charge of Aston Villa, shrugged off the incident.

"It was nothing really," Bruce added. "I think he expressed his opinion, shall we put it that way, very vocally. I think he'd had one or two beers too many."