Steve Bruce has confirmed even good friend Alan Shearer could not persuade him not to take the head coach’s job at Newcastle. However, speaking at a press conference in Shanghai on Thursday, Bruce insisted he simply could not take Shearer’s advice. Alan Shearer celebrates after scoring his 201st goal for Newcastle to break Jackie Milburn’s record (Owen Humphreys/PA)He said: “Well, make no mistake, Alan is a big, big friend of mine and he’s welcome to his opinions, but I would like to think I am my own man. I’m not everybody’s cup of tea, I am not Rafa Benitez, so whoever was going to sit in this seat was going to find it difficult. When it’s terminated, compensation should be due, and that applies to when a manager wants to leave or hands in his resignation.

Source: Irish Examiner July 19, 2019 10:52 UTC