When it came to replacing Rafa Benitez last summer, Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley had a choice to make.
He could either secure an exciting coach to build on the Spaniard’s work and push the club on further. Or, he could go the other route and get himself a stooge.
He ultimately chose the latter, hiring Steve Bruce in an appointment that was widely criticised by fans and critics alike.
Bruce has made a good fist of things this season despite that, with Newcastle currently sitting 13th in the table eight points away from the relegation battle.
He looks set to remain at St James Park beyond the summer, but according to SporBild, things could have been very different.
They report that Newcastle made an approach for Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hütter last summer, only for the 50-year-old to turn them down.
The newspaper states that he can ‘imagine a job in England’ but didn’t fancy a move to the North East as his ‘first point of contact’ remains Eintracht. That could change in future though.
He has a contract with them until 2021, and his camp are expecting an offer to arrive from the club before the end of the season.
However, should sports director Fredi Bobic delay such an offer, Hütter would ‘carefully consider’ whether he wants to start next season with them.
That should be of interest to Newcastle, who might be presented with an opportunity to hire the man they actually wanted before Bruce.
