Newcastle appoint former Belgium coach Graeme Jones as manager Steve Bruce's assistant
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Updated 27/01/2021 at 13:32 GMT
Steve Bruce has a new assistant manager at out-of-form Premier League side Newcastle United, after Graeme Jones left his position as first-team coach at Bournemouth to move to St James’ Park. Roberto Martinez’s former right-hand man at Swansea, Wigan, Everton and Belgium, who was born in Gateshead, says he’s joined a club he has supported all of his life.
Newcastle assistant manager Graeme Jones
Image credit: Getty Images
Newcastle have appointed Graeme Jones, a former coach with Belgium, Everton and Wigan, as assistant to manager Steve Bruce as the club attempt to turn around their poor run of form.
Roberto Martinez’s ex-right-hand-man has moved from Championship side Bournemouth, where he’d been first-team coach.
The move will be seen as a show of faith in Bruce by the hierarchy, following pressure from fans with the Magpies without a win in 11 matches in all competitions, and having lost their last five Premier League matches, the latest of which was a 2-1 defeat to Leeds.
Jones, who was born in Gateshead, has managerial experience at Luton and coached Belgium to a third-placed finish at the 2018 World Cup, when he worked under Martinez.
The former Doncaster and Wigan striker also served as Martinez’s assistant at Swansea, Wigan, Everton and at West Brom, under former Albion boss Darren Moore.
Like Bruce, Jones is a boyhood fan of Newcastle, and he’s delighted to make a move back to the north east of England.
"I'm proud to be here at the team I supported as a boy, and all of my life. During my playing and coaching career, it has always been the first result I would look for after my own”, said Jones.
Now, I've hopefully got a chance to have a direct influence on results and the future of the football club, which is something I'm very excited for.
Jones has a history of working with attacking, possession based teams, and Bruce is pleased to have him.
“He is vastly experienced and I could tell speaking to him that he is hugely passionate about the club and very keen to join us”, said the Newcastle manager.
He is from here but has been away for 35 years so the opportunity to come in and give us a hand is one he has jumped at.
Jones will work alongside coaches Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence and Steve Harper, while Academy Head of Coaching Ben Dawson will also remain with the first-team until the end of the season.
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