Former Sunderland manager Steve Bruce hints at shock retirement decision after Newcastle United exit

Bruce, 60, left St James’s Park by mutual consent on Wednesday following a turbulent two-year spell in charge of rivals Newcastle.

After the Magpies were recently subject of a successful takeover by a Saudi Arabian led consortium uncertainty surrounding Bruce’s future increased despite him taking charge of his 1,000th game in management last weekend.

And Bruce, who became just the second manager to take charge of both the Black Cats and the Magpies, has revealed in an interview with The Telegraph that he may call time on his career in the dugout.

“I think this might be my last job,” said Bruce.

“It’s not just about me; it’s taken its toll on my whole family because they are all Geordies and I can’t ignore that. They have been worried about me.

“I’m 60 years old and I don’t know if I want to put her [wife Jan] through it again. We’ve got a good life so, yeah, this will probably be me done as a manager.”

Bruce’s first spell in the North East came at the Stadium of Light after taking over in the summer of 2009 as the Wearsiders, then under the stewardship of Niall Quinn and the Drumaville consortium, looked to establish themselves in the Premier League after the successful promotion tenure of Bruce’s former teammate Roy Keane.

Joining from Wigan Athletic Bruce made a positive start in the North East with victory over Bolton Wanderers in his inaugural game in charge of the Black Cats.

Despite some initial concerns about his allegiances to rivals Newcastle growing up, Bruce endeared himself to Sunderland supporters with a number of notable signings including Darren Bent, Lee Cattermole and Lorik Cana and was able to claim a number of standout results in his opening months including a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford and the iconic victory over Liverpool at the Stadium of Light courtesy of Bent’s beachball strike.

But Bruce’s reign on Wearside was tarnished by two lengthy winless runs in each of the season’s he was in charge.

After Bent secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal in November 2009 Bruce’s side would not win again for 14 games, something he would incur again with a similar stretch the following campaign between January and April after the Black Cats were sixth in the Premier League table heading into Christmas.

Bruce’s tenure came to an end after a home defeat to Wigan in 2011 signalled a run of just two wins in 13 to start his third season, with 29 wins from 98 games his record at the Stadium of Light all told.

They are runs which have plagued spells of Bruce’s managerial career, including on Tyneside.

But, almost 28-years after scoring two of the Premier League’s most recognised headers to help Manchester United to their first title, Bruce appears content that his spell with Newcastle will be his swansong.

“Someone reminded me the other day of the two headers I scored against Sheffield Wednesday that helped Manchester United win the first Premier League title in 1992.

“To still be involved 40 years later, well, I’ve been very lucky. I must have done ok, as a player and a manager.”

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