Steve Bruce labelled Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic a "cult hero" as he revealed he would have loved the chance to manage the former Newcastle United forward.
Fulham and Mitrovic travel to St James' Park on Saturday, but the Serbia international – who scored 26 times in the Championship last season – has not found the net in the Premier League since scoring twice against Leeds United in September.
Mitrovic spent two-and-a-half seasons with Newcastle before moving to Fulham, and Bruce wished he had got the chance to work with the former Anderlecht man.
"I would've loved the opportunity to work with him," Bruce told a news conference.