Sam Allardyce defends Steve Bruce and says Andy Carroll needs to be more professional

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Former Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has had his say on the troubles at his old club after they lost for the second week running on Saturday.

The 3-1 defeat to Norwich saw Steve Bruce’s side put in an abject display but Allardyce defended the Magpies boss, while saying that new-boy Andy Carroll needs to be more professional.

He told TalkSport: “He’s been there three weeks. There’s much more pressure on you at Newcastle. No win till November (last season) – if Steve’s getting stick now, where was the stick for Rafa then?”

On Carroll, he said: “Andy loves playing football but in terms of attention to how other teams play, it simply wasn’t him. Very casual attitude. If he wants a career back at Newcastle, he needs to be the most professional he’s ever been. That means doing all the rehab work outside the training hours.”

TBR’s View – Allardyce offers an insight into the deficiencies many believe Carroll has

Carroll’s return to Newcastle was billed as an emotional comeback for a player who loves the club but there’s another way to view the 30-year-old’s desperation to get back to St James’ Park.

He’s an ageing player with an awful injury record, a poor history of professionalism, with a playing style that doesn’t suit many top flight teams and didn’t look to be inundated with offers – of course he was desperate to go back to Newcastle.

But Allardyce is right, he has to get serious now because this feels like his last chance. On Bruce, he’s wrong – Benitez had credit in the bank last season and a proven track record at the top of European football. Bruce has neither.