"He's supposed to be a Geordie but there's no passion" - Newcastle legend Warren Barton slams Steve Bruce

Bruce has come under considerable pressure from a number of fans and pundits after a poor run of form which has seen the Magpies slump to 15th in the Premier League table.

A horrendous performance against Sheffield United on Tuesday night saw Newcastle dominated and then beaten by a Blades side who hadn’t won a league game all season.

And Barton, who played under Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson, says Bruce’s negative tactics are a key factor in the club’s slump.

“I think it’s a mindset,” he told Talksport in a passionate interview. “I think of Newcastle going forward, being ambitious, winning games. Steve is going into games, not just now but all this season and last season, it’s about not getting beat and that sets a tone in games.

"You’re playing against Sheffield United who haven’t won a game. You know they are going to be petrified and nervous but we let them get into the game, get a tempo.

"Even when he gets interviewed afterwards, Steve, he’s supposed to be a Geordie from the area. When he wins the game there’s no passion. I remember Sir Bobby Robson he’d be smiling from ear to ear, as would Kevin Keegan.

“I used to walk into St James’s Park and think ‘how lucky am I to be playing for this football club?’ I don’t see that (now) from the staff, I don’t see it from Steve, and I feel for the players as I think there’s enough quality to be playing a lot better, more attractive and winning games than what we’re doing at the moment.

"This has been a long time coming. They look like even when they win a game, no one is enjoying it, which is such a strange thing to say. I know Steve and he’s a good football man but I don't see him enjoying being manager of Newcastle.

"I look at what Steven Gerrard has done to Glasgow Rangers. He’s gone in and grabbed that club by the scruff of the neck. He’s got hold of that club and took it forward. Someone needs to do that with Newcastle. You should enjoy being at that football club. There’s no ambition.

“That’s what is demoralising for me. It’s not enjoyable to watch and it can’t be fun to play in.

"When we got those new signings at the start of the season you thought ‘go on boys, have a go’. And they beat West Ham, looking good, and then slowly slowly it turns back round again, and it's negative and it's boring and it just drains you in the end as you can't see a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s like this pandemic!”

Bruce’s insists he won’t walk away from the job, but Barton wants him to ‘go down fighting' is he is to stay in the job.

He added: “Steve was a fighter, a winner, a great captain and leader but I don’t see that at the minute. Maybe it’s his backroom staff.

"You think if you are going to go down, go down all guns blazing.”

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