In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who scored 34 Premier League goals for Newcastle United, believes Steve Bruce is not able to do as good a job as he could because he hasn't been given the tools to do so.

Bruce is currently in his second season as Newcastle manager which has seen him accumulate a win ratio of 29.1%, the worst of his managerial career.

Mike Ashley splashed out on Joelinton for £40 million last summer as well as sanctioning signings such as Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin, which has seen Bruce spend just under £100 million in two seasons.

Speaking on how Bruce does not have the sufficient tools to do a good job at Newcastle and how the club's problems aren't all down to him, Lee told FFC:

"Bruce hasn't had the tools and nobody would have at Newcastle.

"We shouldn't be where we are but it's not all down to him so let's not cane him just because he's a Geordie and wants to be in charge of his boyhood club."

Bruce arrived from Sheffield Wednesday in 2018 after being at Hillsborough for just six-months before jumping ship.

Newcastle find themselves in a relegation fight which Bruce is confident he is the right man for with just nine games left to play.