Ex-Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce linked with surprise management return

Former Newcastle United and Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has been linked with a surprise return to management in the Championship.

Bayern Munich’s acquisition of then Burnley manager Vincent Kompany has left ex-Toon man Craig Bellamy in temporary care of the dugout at Turf Moor, and Bruce has emerged as a contender to take the reigns permanently at the Clarets, albeit an unlikely one with several others linked.

Where the Corbridge-born manager sits in the queue is unclear, but reports indicate he is currently in contention with Ruud van Nistelrooy, Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard - who has already held talks with club chairman Alan Pace along with Liam Rosenior and Scott Parker - while Bellamy has also received internal support to secure a long-term position as first team manager.

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Bruce, who departed Newcastle in November 2021 after his 1,000th game in charge in club management, has been out of work since being dismissed by West Bromwich Albion in October 2022 after just eight months in charge owing to a dismal start to the 2022/23 campaign.

Going from Kompany to Bruce seems like a strange decision for Burnley, whose list contains a number of rising stars in the coaching world, but the ex-Toon boss is understood to be seen as a safe choice due to his record of lifting teams out of the Championship and winning promotion to the Premier League.