Steve Bruce suggested "there's always a storm" at Newcastle United as he responded angrily to suggestions his players do not know their roles.
Bruce was appointed as Newcastle's new head coach heading into the season, replacing the popular Rafael Benitez, and has endured a tough start.
The Magpies were beaten by Arsenal on the opening weekend following confusion over a second-half substitution, while they were completely outplayed in a humbling defeat at Norwich City.
Heading into a match against Tottenham, for which Newcastle will have £40million striker Joelinton fit, Bruce told a news conference: "After two games, there's a so-called mini-crisis and all the rest of it.
"That is over-sensationalised. Everything seems to be that way. But look, I understand that, it's the nature of the club - it always has been. There's always a storm in Newcastle and, at the minute, we're in one.
"The only way we can do it is to get a couple of results and the team to perform. After two games, it's very, very early to judge just yet."
SB on injury news: “We hope that Allan Saint-Maximin is going to be OK. It’s still too early for Andy Carroll or Dwight Gayle, but Christian Atsu has been on the pitch this week. It was good to see him and see what he’ll offer us. Joelinton is fine.” #NUFC pic.twitter.com/2H08I8LHNn
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) August 23, 2019
Criticism of Bruce built this week as former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra claimed he had been told "some of the players don't know their jobs".
Meanwhile, defender Paul Dummett had to clarify on Twitter that issues with the warm-up at Norwich were "about us as players and as a team, not the coaching staff".
Bruce has been frustrated by the scrutiny, and said: "The Chopra thing was blown out of all proportion.
"It's laughable, really, for the people in the dressing room and my staff. Some of this stuff is just nonsense, but obviously it gets mentioned regularly."
Just to clarify my comment on the warm up in my post match interview, it was about us as players and as a team, not the coaching staff. As I said in the interview, we know it wasn’t good enough from the first whistle. We need to stick together and improve - and we will.
— Paul Dummett (@PaulDummett) August 20, 2019
Bruce said many of the claims made about Newcastle have been "fabricated and lies", adding: "When it's like that, you think, 'Why is that making national headlines?'.
"For the past four or five weeks, it's been relentless - let's make no mistake about it - but I've grown accustomed to it and if I can protect the players then I will.
"Ultimately, it's always my responsibility. I'm the one who sits here, I'm the one who talks to [the media], I'm the one who picks the team.
"No formation, no tactics, substitutions wrong? It's the whole thing at the minute. We can't even take a warm-up?
"Some of it is a bit laughable, but you just have to try to get through it and keep your dignity and make sure you're strong enough to see it through."
