Stuart Pearce backs David Moyes for Newcastle United managerial position

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Former Newcastle United player Stuart Pearce has told Talk Sport that David Moyes would have been a better choice to replace Rafa Benitez than Steve Bruce.

The former left-back played 37 times for the Magpies during a two-year spell a St James’ Park and he thinks the ex-Everton boss would have been a ‘better fit’ for the position.

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is confident of appointing the Sheffield Wednesday boss as the club’s new manager.

The 58-year-old wouldn’t have been Pearce’s number one choice, however.

He told Talk Sport: “I’m astounded. I think it’s a good appointment; Brucey is a good suit for the club ad a solid set of hands.

“I would have thought David (Moyes) would have been a slightly better fit, however.”

Moyes has been out of work since leaving West Ham United at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, where Pearce worked as his assistant manager.

The ex-England captain believes the vacancy at Newcastle is an extremely attractive proposition.

He continued: “The job should be, as they stand at the moment without investment, to keep them in the Premier League. Rafa did that continually and did a very good job.

“It just needs a bit of investment to add the bells and the whistles to their team. Once they get a better strike force and someone you can rely on getting goals, all of a sudden it’s a very appealing job.”

TBR Verdict

Stuart Pearce talks a lot of sense when it comes to football but on this occasion, he has got it badly wrong.

Being tasked with replacing Rafa Benitez requires a certain type of manager and neither David Moyes or Steve Bruce are ever going to excite the Toon Army faithful.

Both are hardworking managers but there is a sense that maybe their time has come and gone, particularly Moyes.

Bruce did a decent job of stabilising Wednesday last season and they will be fancied for a top-six push if a dramatic u-turn takes place and he stays at Hillsborough.

Newcastle demands more, however.

Sure, Bruce is a likeable character who has the respect of a lot of people within the English game but neither he or Moyes should be anywhere near the Newcastle hot seat.