Steve Bruce has been the "fall guy" at Newcastle and it has been "really tough to watch" the criticism directed at him, says his son Alex Bruce.
The Newcastle boss takes charge of his 1,000th match as a manager at home to Tottenham on Sunday.
It is the Magpies' first game since the club's controversial £305m takeover.
Steve Bruce took the role at his boyhood club in 2019 but his son says he "has been battered since the moment he walked in the door".
"It's been tough. I wouldn't sit here and lie and say it hasn't, it's been really tough to watch the criticism," Alex Bruce told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"Since he took the job, I think the lack of respect that has been shown, considering he's done 1,000 games, has been unbelievable."
New Newcastle part-owner Amanda Staveley confirmed on Friday that Bruce would stay in charge for Sunday's Premier League game at St James' Park and would be the "first to know" if things change.
The Magpies are winless this season and lie 18th in the table. The club's new owners have been linked with former Borussia Dortmund manager Lucien Favre, Rangers' Steven Gerrard and ex-Chelsea boss Frank Lampard as potential replacements for Bruce.
Alex Bruce added: "A lot of things have been said about my dad, and I feel a bit naff sticking up for him, but I would genuinely say for anyone who has done 999 games as a manager, 980-odd as a player, to see certain individuals question his integrity, his professionalism, his ability as a manager, questioning things like his warm-ups, his substitutions… they all make mistakes, but has he not deserved a crack?
"He's never had the opportunity at managing a club who can go and spend proper money. He's managed teams in the Premier League like Wigan, Birmingham, Hull City… his win ratio in the Premier League has been questioned umpteen times - do people really expect massive win percentages when you're managing clubs like that?
"I don't think so. I think when you're a level-headed and intelligent person, you look at the bigger picture. I think he's done a very good job at all the clubs he's managed, and I think he deserves a crack. Some of the disrespect he's been shown has been hard to watch."
