Steve Bruce reacts to Neil Redfearn's sudden departure at Newcastle United

“Redfearn this week stepped down from his post as the club’s Under-23 coach following a behind-the-scenes disagreement.

The 54-year-old has since been linked with the vacant manager’s position at Hibernian.

“We're all disappointed with what's happened,” said Bruce, Newcastle’s head coach. “I've got a lot of respect for Neil, and I wish him well.”

Asked if he would take a close look at the club’s Academy set-up following Redfearn’s departure, Bruce said: “With all of it now, with academies, where management has changed is the actual size of it – and on a different site.

“It's very difficult, day to day, to really try and cover it.

“I always take a huge interest in it, and I will go watch them the best I can. The actual day to day running of it is practically impossible. I'd love to be able to see the 12s, the 13s and the 15s, but the brutal reality of it is you just don't get time.

“It's a vitally important part of any club, especially this one. We've seen the two Longstaffs (Sean and Matty) in particular come through and Dummy (Paul Dummett) and Andy Carroll.

“Out of 25 players, we've got four Geordies, which is great so they've still got an important part, but certainly we've got to move forward with them and see if we can be better than what we are at the minute.”

Bruce says he will have an “input” into the appointment of Redfearn’s successor at the club’s Academy, which is on a site which adjoins the first-team training complex.

“Whether I'm 100% key to it, I don't think so, but certainly I think I’ll have an input,” said Bruce.

“At the moment now, we're trying to find a better link with the Academy.

“When you’re on different sites, it can help you too. At Aston Villa, we were all in-house, and sometimes there's that many people that it becomes too many and you can't create what we've got here.”