Sam Allardyce admits the signs are looking ominous for Steve Bruce at Newcastle, citing his sacking at St James’ Park soon after Mike Ashley bought the club in 2007 as a cause for concern.
Ashley, who is close to selling the club in a £300m takeover bid by PCP Capital Partners, arrived at Newcastle in May that year and axed Allardyce early into 2008.
Sam Allardyce says Steve Bruce should keep his job after Newcastle takeover – and hits out at Rafa Benitez!
Allardyce, who faced a similar situation at Blackburn, fears the same will happen to Bruce when the takeover is eventually finalised.
He told talkSPORT Breakfast: “If the papers are right it looks likely that the new owners will make a change, and let’s face it they are entitled to get their own man if they want to spend that sort of money which is being reported.
“It happened to me with Mike [Ashley] at Newcastle. He took over in the summer [2007] and I was gone by January the next year.
“It happened to me at Blackburn as well. I was gone within 10 days of the Venky’s taking over. If you took my experience, it’s not looking that great for Steve, unfortunately.”
Rafa Benitez has been linked with a sensational return to Newcastle, while former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has also been identified as a potential target should Bruce be replaced at the helm.
And Allardyce has rejected the notion that Bruce isn’t capable of revolutionising the Toon squad with a war chest of funds at his disposal, which is expected to be delivered by the Saudi-led consortium.
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“There’s suggestions Steve couldn’t handle that sort of thing, but of course he could,” Bruce insisted.
“He’d be absolutely delighted to go out into the world of football and buy the sort of players the Newcastle fans would want to see.
“As they saw years ago under Kevin Keegan that could be the case. Steve is intelligent enough and experienced enough to put the right scouting system together for the new owners to make sure the right players come in and for the right amount of money.
“Once Newcastle have decided what their budget is then every player’s value will almost get doubled because there people know big money is coming into the club. It was the same scenario for me at Everton.
“Steve would love to get the opportunity, if the money came in, to make Newcastle great. He’s a Newcastle fan and a Newcastle lad, and I think he’s done a fabulous job.”
