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Steve Bruce – West Brom fans classic comments as now wondering whether Newcastle fans might…

2 years ago
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Steve Bruce was appointed at The Hawthorns on 3 February 2022.

This despite having indicated back in October 2021 he was very unlikely to take another management job, after making a total mess of the job at Newcastle United and walking away with a reported £8m pay-off so the new owners could get rid of him.

I was wondering what the West Brom fans were having to say about Steve Bruce now?

The former NUFC Head Coach led West Brom to their latest defeat on Saturday, a dismal 3-1 home defeat to Stoke.

In the space of just over nine weeks, Steve Bruce has taken the Baggies from fifth in the table to eleventh, from having to settle for the play-offs to having no chance of the play-offs, eight points off the pace with only five games remaining.

West Brom fans in despair and wondering what should happen now, or at the very latest, once the season ends.

Since Bruce and his son took over at West Brom, the baggies have won only three of their twelve Championship matches.

In their opening 29 league games, they picked up 45 points at an average of 1.55 points per match, in Bruce’s 12 games it is only 12 points at an average of 1.00 points per game.

Funnily enough, all the pundits and journalists haven’t had much to say since West Brom started playing under Steve Bruce…

West Brom fans commenting via their West Brom Index message board:

‘Ismael was often accused of lacking a plan B…

Well Bruce doesn’t even have a plan A.

Looks like those “bitter” Newcastle fans were right after all.’

‘If he’s here next season you can add bitter baggies fans to the list.’

‘I thought Steve Bruce might have been given too hard a time at Newcastle and he was the best of a bad bunch available but he’s not the man. Too negative.’

‘The suggestion then is that, honestly, we need to stick with Bruce because there really isn’t anyone else who could do better. Of course there is. There are proper coaches out there who can motivate players, get them fit. get them playing to a system.’

‘I think Bruce needs to be part of the clear out. We need a younger hungry manager trying to build his reputation in the game, who also wants to play good attacking football.’

‘The season has the feel of us aimlessly wandering to the finishing line under an old Conservative coach with no real plans for the future other than “buy players, wheel and deal”. It won’t be enough.’

‘We see no evidence of Bruce learning on the job.

People talking about a summer overhaul, well it doesn’t look like it? There is no degree of experimentation even now.

We can’t possibly expect to challenge for promotion with this squad and these tactics.

12 points from 12 games is not exactly a small sample size.’

‘I’m not not sure what we need to take us forward. I know it’s not Steve Bruce.’

‘The game is now about the younger generation of coach (not Steve Bruce) coming through with different techniques and ideas.’

‘Some people defending Bruce saying he can’t do anything. Wrong, he can. He can select the best players in the best positions for a start.

After proclaiming TGH was a RWB and not a CM for 5 games or whatever and then, under Bruce, watching the worst midfield i’ve seen.’

‘There’s a manager that recently left the Russian Premier League, so no compo payable and the money we are currently spending on Steve and his not inconsiderable entourage, should cover his and his smaller staff salaries.’

‘His post match interview was honest and frank and basically accepts liability for the performance.

So why Steve did you pick a slow lumbering midfield when we had a major wake up call at Bristol City?

Mowatt and Livermore are slow at the best of times so how could they give a performance full of running after 270mins in 7 days?

We are talking about a 61 years old with 25 yrs management experience, it’s inexcusable.’

‘I’d like to think that Steve Bruce will do the decent thing and walk but this is football so unlikely.’

‘When Steve Bruce first came in he believed the squad he inherited was good enough to qualify for automatic promotion.

After his dismal record, he is now stating that squad needs major overhaul.

Think he’s trying to save his own skin for next season and keep his son in a job that he probably doesn’t deserve. Nepotism at its best.’

‘So Brucie has done all he can by shuffling the pack. Ultimately, he has been dealt a poor hand. Our cards contain no aces and more than a fair share of jokers. Replacing one poor and underachieving over-valued (when signed) player with another – snap. I think our patience has run out. Time to go a play your cards right somewhere else. Good game but unfortunately he did not do well!’

‘I know we can’t overhaul the whole squad but I think a complete clear out of management and players are needed. Younger manager with some fresh ideas.

There are decent managers out there but we didn’t go for them. Never understood why we didn’t go for Steve Cooper (I said we should have gone for him after Slav went).

What I think will happen….Bruce will stay and most of the players will remain.’

‘I don’t really love Bruce’s approach at the moment, it feels too much like he is trying to convince the board to give him all of the players he wants in the summer and not enough about experimentation.]’

‘Personally I would like a new manager in before the end of the season.’

‘Bruce’s record:

P12 W3 D3 L6 F11 A16 PTS12 AV1.00

Says it all, it’s not good enough.

We are clearly worse under this Manager.’

‘That did it for Bruce with me today.

In the 12 games he’s had , he’s tinkered and ended with pretty much the same approach he began with much the same results. Do they coach anything???

Under Bruce we look relegation candidates.’

‘For me Steve Bruce was, is, and will be a dreadful appointment, and I refuse to believe that there are not better coaches out there who can organise, develop and motivate this squad to perform better, can recruit well, and can bring through some promising youngsters. An actual coach with an actual plan, or is that too much to ask for? We’ve already stupidly given Furlong an extended contract until 2025, Phillips until 2024, Reach until 2024, Mowatt until 2024, out of pure laziness and ineptitude.

Please, please don’t extend the contract of flipping Steve Bruce or I will slump into an incurable depression which will last until he’s sacked sometime around Christmas.

‘Steve Bruce appears to have had little impact on improving, he should not be entrusted with the rebuild.’

‘3 wins in 12. Huge gaps behind the scenes and I feel that we need a ‘manager’ if we are not going to have the infrastructure behind him – but how can he stay on with that record?’

‘I’m now looking at Luton, Millwall and Huddersfield enviously. They have low budgets and teams who play as a unit. This must be down to coaching first and foremost.

We have 4 or 5 coaches in our first team set up yet we’ve looked shapeless and aimless for most of the 12 matches Bruce has been in charge.

Sorry but I’ve seen enough to think it’s worth the change.’

‘Seeing us today – the set up was clueless. Players don’t have a clue what they’re doing on the ball and how we get up the pitch. It was horrendous.’

‘3 wins in 12 is not good enough. Season ticket sales will be less than 10k if Steve Bruce is confirmed for next season.’

‘I fear its jobs for the boys Bruce and Son and his mates . Where we need fresh ideas and invention yet again we have got a wet blanket.’

‘The danger with Bruce staying on next season is apathy and some really low attendances. I’ve barely paid attention the last 2 games, the only time I’ve done that in 20 years was under Pardew.’

‘Bruce = worse than Ismael.

Ismael = worse than Bilic.

I worry what we might get next but I also detest what we have. Bruce and son.’

Don’t think Steve Bruce deserves to be here next season at a minimum he should of got us into playoffs and today’s team selection just screams out that he hasn’t got a clue.’

‘Hope we cut Bruce loose in the summer.’

‘Steve Bruce can’t be kept on, somehow we are even worse since he took charge.’

‘If someone can give me a sane reason why Steve Bruce should remain in charge next season I’d like to hear it.’

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