Steve Bruce explains his goals for Newcastle in 2021 after unique challenges of the past year | Football News

The arrival of a new year always offers the opportunity to look to the future with optimism. After a 2020 which he describes as “hard to say the least”, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce was happy to do just that when he spoke with Sky Sports on New Years Day.

However, with captain Jamaal Lascelles and key actor Allan Saint-Maximin still suffering from the effects of the coronavirus and set to be absent again when Newcastle host Leicester on Sunday in an empty St James’ Park, the reality is that the schedule does not. has not been changed. t cleared the challenges of the past year.

The impact of the coronavirus is of course vast and far beyond the limits of football, but for managers it presented unique new issues to be addressed – and they won’t go away anytime soon.

From protecting their players’ health to reimagining fitness plans with a shortened preseason, then navigating a condensed fixture schedule, coaches have been forced to re-evaluate their approaches. It was far from easy, explains Bruce.

“I think most managers will say the same thing, it’s hard to say the least. But then again, in life we’ve all suffered,” Bruce told Sky Sports from the training ground of Newcastle, ahead of its first session of 2021.

“I don’t think there will ever be such a bad year for everyone. We’re still in the thick of it right now and will stay that way for at least two months until everyone has this vaccine. . difficult.

“Difficult to manage, no real break, no break for the players, so you try to manage their way, and with all of that it’s a fixture schedule that’s pretty daunting when you look at it. In December and January , I think we play something like 15 games, which is quite difficult.

In life, we have all suffered. I don’t think there will ever be a bad year for everyone.

“It was certainly the most unique year of my managerial career. And the big draw to anyone coming to Newcastle is the wonderful support we have. We’re lucky to get usually 50,000 every week, but that certainly affected us and we all had to agree to play behind closed doors. “

Steadily progress the 2021 target

A difficult year seemed about to end on a particularly sour note for Bruce and Newcastle when they were beaten by Championship team Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals three days before Christmas. With Manchester City and Liverpool going on to the Premier League, the odds of ending 2020 positively seemed slim.

But, after receiving what Bruce describes as “justified” but “quite horrible” fallout from that cup, his players, in his own words, “rolled up their sleeves” in defeat to Man City before being rewarded for yet another bout with an impressive home point in Liverpool.

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The intensity doesn’t wane, with tough tests against Leicester and Arsenal in the FA Cup afterwards, but Bruce was encouraged by this performance from Liverpool – in his eyes, the best of the Newcastle campaign – and thinks it confirms that his team moves. in the right direction.

Despite the struggles of this unusual season, Newcastle have 19 points from their first 15 games – the same comeback they had at this point last season.

“We knew it was going to be a tough time and we had to have a really good answer [to losing to Brentford],” he said.

“We let ourselves down in the draw, we didn’t play well enough last night. The only thing you have to do is start a performance all over again. And I couldn’t be happier with the way we played. against Liverpool.

“It is without doubt the best that we have played all season, against the champions of this country, the European champions, the champions of the Club World Cup …

I couldn’t be happier with the way we played against Liverpool. It’s arguably the best we’ve played all season.

“Our race stats were also some of the most important of the season, which I liked, as Covid certainly affected us in terms of fitness.

“Overall we did well. We finished 13th last season and I said, ‘can we get closer to the top 10? “Of course, for all the teams in the lower half of the Premier League you always look over your shoulder so we have to be wary of that as well.

“I said from day one that we’re not going to have instant change automatically because that’s where we are at the moment. But little by little we’re always looking to get better and better. Steady progress. “

Target loan options in January

The New Year also offers the chance to refresh the squad during the January transfer window.

With the coronavirus dealing a huge financial blow to clubs across the country, spending likely looks more conservative this month, but Bruce is on the lookout for opportunities, with possible short-term options.

“We’re like most other clubs, we’ve been hit hard financially by Covid so I don’t see him being very, very busy in January at all,” he said.

“Last year we improved the team by adding three loan signings, which gave everyone a boost at the time, so we’re going to look at that particular market and if there is any. someone we could maybe get on loan to make us better.

“We have a good balance in our team at the moment, but it’s my job to keep improving, so we’ll see what we can do.”

But more immediately, Bruce focuses on Leicester. Brendan Rodgers ‘side have been superb on the road this season, winning seven of their eight away games, and winning on their last four trips to St James’ Park.

The fit Foxes are finishing a three-game streak that could hardly have been more difficult for Newcastle during the holiday season.

This workload can force a rotation in Newcastle’s XI, although goalkeeper Karl Darlow is again key following his exploits against Liverpool.

“If there is a better goalkeeper right now I don’t see them yet,” Bruce says of the scorer, before adding that his players should be confident in what they can accomplish after holding the champions. In title.

“The three days have helped us recover slightly, but now it’s the third game in a week, so I’m watching what we’re doing,” said Bruce. “As soon as the Liverpool game ended it was at Leicester and ‘how can we upset Leicester, how do we organize ourselves, do I put two or three for fresh legs? “

“I’m aware that the players who have played against Liverpool are going to bite a bit, so it’s a good balance. But that’s what we’re paid for, these decisions, let’s hope I make the right one.

Sunday January 3 2:00 p.m.

Kick-off at 2:15 p.m.

As for Leicester away from home maybe it suits them better as they can play a bit on the counterattack and if you leave spaces behind you Jamie Vardy, who seems to be getting younger than older, is as good as you will be playing against as a center forward.

“He’s bright and alive, but throughout the squad they have some really good players.

“However, if we play like we did against Liverpool, we have proven that we can match anyone in the league.”

With that confident mood for the start of the New Year, Bruce headed for the training ground hoping to get off to a good start in 2021 on Sunday …