NEWCASTLE: Steve Bruce has dismissed suggestions he was hanging on as Newcastle United manager for a big pay-off, instead insisting he was focused on convincing the club鈥檚 new Saudi owners he was the man for the job.

The under-fire boss is winless in the Magpies鈥� first eight games of the 2021/22 campaign and has been the target of fan chants calling for him to go since the start of the season.

Calls for him to stand down have grown among supporters, seen as one of the most loyal set of fans in English football, since the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Reuben Brothers, and PCP Capital Partners completed a recent buyout of the Premier League club.

Bruce is thought to have a clause in his deal that ensures he will walk away from Newcastle United with around 拢8 million ($11 million).

However, with the hunt for a new manager understood to be underway, PCP鈥檚 Amanda Staveley said via a club statement that Bruce would oversee his 1,000th professional game as a manager on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur are the visitors to St. James鈥� Park.

The 60-year-old former Manchester United skipper said he was determined to stay at the club, and not just for the money.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a really awful question to start with. It鈥檚 not all about money with me. Not at all. I want to be the manager of Newcastle, that鈥檚 not going to change. Who wouldn鈥檛 want to be, especially now? So, all I鈥檓 trying to do is focus on Sunday, get a result, see what happens after that,鈥� he added.

Bruce met with Staveley, and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, at the club鈥檚 Benton training ground on Monday, and revealed that there had been no mention of his future during their talks, only that the PCP directors had told him to, 鈥渄o your job, do the best you can.鈥�

He said: 鈥淲e talked about the team, injuries, the training ground, it was very informal. I was told to carry on until I was told otherwise. And that鈥檚 what I have done.

鈥淭here were no discussions on me (future at the club) whatsoever. Certain discussions need to be private. It was very informal. They were very good people 鈥� it was good to see them, it is a great thing that has happened.

鈥淚 was told on Monday to carry on as normal. No matter what you guys (the media) have been saying and writing. I don鈥檛 need an assurance (about job security). Some very good people, who were sitting in front of me, told me to carry on. Business as usual.

鈥淚 am not going to give up the hold of it (the manager鈥檚 job) 鈥� hundreds will want to manage Newcastle United. It is exciting times for the club. I will have a crack. I will try my utmost. Who wouldn鈥檛 want this opportunity? I will make a fist of it and try my best for the club,鈥� he added.

Vowing to carry on despite a poor run of results which have seen the team crash out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle and left sitting next to bottom of the Premier League table in 19th place, Bruce said: 鈥淚f you are in the bottom six or seven, very quickly you come under pressure. When the criticism becomes personal, you cry out for respect.

鈥淚 will take results on the chin, that goes for all managers, we all know the job, if you don鈥檛 get results you are going to be criticized.鈥�

A number of high-profile Premier League managers have already ruled themselves out of the running for the Newcastle job.

Former manager Rafa Benitez was lined up to replace Bruce, had the deal gone through prior to him accepting the Everton job. His advisers Owen Brown and Frank McParland are acting as football consultants to the new owners; however, Benitez will not follow them east.

鈥淚 have a very good relationship with the Newcastle United fans, the city and everyone and it鈥檚 not fair for me to talk about that. I鈥檓 Everton manager now, I鈥檓 focused on that, and I wish them all the best,鈥� the Spaniard said on Friday.

鈥淚 prefer to stay away from that and wish them all the best. I can tell you I have a lot of friends and they were asking me the same question.

鈥淏ut from day one, I was talking to the board here and they did not need to worry about that as I decided to stay. I鈥檓 really happy and trying to improve everything I can here and focus. When I decided to stay here, I kept my word and continued to work here,鈥� Benitez added.

Leicester City鈥檚 Brendan Rodgers, believed to be a target of the club鈥檚 new football executive, along with Graham Potter of Brighton and Hove Albion, have both distanced themselves from the Newcastle role.

Another rumored candidate, Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, said: 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 interesting, what鈥檚 happening at Newcastle. I think if anyone deserves a break it鈥檚 the Geordie fans. So, I鈥檓 sure that excitement levels are very high down on the Toon.鈥�