Steve Bruce to Newcastle: Hull City manager insists he will not replace Alan Pardew
The former defender's Geordie roots make him appear a good fit
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Your support makes all the difference.Hull City boss Steve Bruce has ruled himself out of replacing Alan Pardew as Newcastle manager.
Bruce is a boyhood Newcastle fan and said he was "flattered" to be linked with the position but is committed to Hull and has already turned down three offers from other clubs during his time at the Tigers.
Pardew is yet to complete a move to Crystal Palace after Newcastle announced on Monday night that a compensation figure had been agreed and he had been given permission to talk to the Eagles.
Bruce told a news conference ahead of tomorrow's clash with Everton: "People know that I am from Newcastle, I was a Newcastle supporter as a boy and it has been regurgitated since I was a 22-year-old playing for Norwich and Gillingham.
"For that obvious reason every time I am linked with them. It's very flattering as I'm a Geordie but that's it.
"I have a job to do here and it would be wrong for me to think of anything else other than get this club out of the position we are in and that's all I am focused on.
"It would be wrong for the speculation to keep carrying on for the club, for the supporters, for the players."
He continued: "I am determined to see this through and make sure we stay in the Premier League and build on the good work we have done in the last two hand a half years.
"I have had three offers in the two and a half years I have been here and I have turned them all down so I think the chairman knows the way I feel and why would I want to leave now? It's not right, and I hope people respect that."
Hull are only a point off the relegation zone and Bruce accepted that some fans might believe it was time for him to go.
He added: " We all know the industry, the one thing you don't want to see is fellow managers being sacked but I understand the nature of the beast and some people in this city probably think its my time for my head to roll.
"Thankfully I have a chairman I am convinced will stick by me. One thing none of us need is distraction and we want to be fully focused on one thing - to get us out of trouble."
Asked if he ruled himself out of moving to Newcastle, he replied: "Yes - I have got a job to do here, it would be very difficult for us to uproot and I don't think that would be fair."
PA
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