West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that Steve Bruce will be their new manager.
Albion sacked Valerien Ismael on Wednesday afternoon, on what was a landmark day at the top of the club, and they have moved quickly to bring in the experienced head of Bruce, who has been out of work since leaving boyhood club Newcastle United at the back end of 2021.
Bruce, who turned 61 on New Year’s Eve, has managed 1000 matches in his career since starting out in coaching in 1998; in that time, he’s managed Blues, Sheffield United, Wigan (twice), Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Hull, Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and then the Magpies, who he kept in the top flight for two successive seasons.
He has signed an 18-month contract at The Hawthorns.
Bruce’s appointment is the first major decision that has been made by the club’s new chief executive, Ron Gourlay; previously a club consultant, he was officially announced as having succeeded Xu Ke as CEO.
Bruce and Gourlay took questions at The Hawthorns on Friday afternoon. This is what they had to say...
Key Events
That's all from the broadcast section of the presser
More coverage to come on BirminghamLive throughout today and the weekend!
Training
We trained this morning. It was very enjoyable, I haven't done it for four months.
It was freezing bloody cold, let me tell you! You have to be ready for the challenge of the Championship. It's a difficult start, but we'll tackle it head on.
I've lived in the Midlands for nearly 20 years, and I've been around here for a long time. Ron Saunders has done it before, to be in that elite company - I'm very privileged.
If I thought this club wasn't capable of getting it where he wants to be, I wouldn't be here.
The squad
You can't change it, but let's be brutally honest - we have a squad which is as good as any in the Championship.
I'm convinced of that, despite the bad results. It's wise to assess what we've got. Every manager wants to play in a certain way.
We'll implement change. I understand what the supporters here, and I've been here many times when it bounces up and down. Let's bring that back.
We have two or three games coming up in a week. We're not giving up on the top two, there's a long way to go. Birmingham [in the play-offs] was a long long time ago, I'd love to replicate it.
Villa / Blues links
Bruce:
For all the Albion fans, there is disgruntlement at the minute, they need to be able to enjoy the football.
It's a tough working class area and they want to win, and win in a certain way. That is synonymous with all Midlands clubs.
Gourlay speaks
"There was no recruitment process. We knew who we wanted straight away. Look at the position we're in - I felt there was one man who was available, who had the track record and the ability to take the club forward in my eyes.
"When I made the call, there was no doubt Steve was the right man for the club. It's just about whether the fire was still there - and it took him 10 seconds.
"Everything happens so quickly. I've been at the club for 5 months on a part time basis, behind the scenes. I've been looking at some of the issues that lie here.
"It's a big different being able to go into the club and spend time looking. When the owner asked whether I wanted to take the club on, I wanted certain guarantees - but we know what we need to do.
"West Brom are a big, big club."
Why Albion?
"Ron offered to buy me a cup of coffee. I've known him for a bit. He told me about the vision of the club. This is a Premier League club - 13 of the last 20 have been there.
"I'd love to make it five promotions, that's why I'm here. When asked the question, I didn't hesitate - I thought I fancy a crack at that.
"It's like a drug. It's what you do, go to work. Certain people when you get to a certain age, think about retirement. I'm a spring chicken compared to Roy!
"If I didn't think West Brom couldn't get up again, I wouldn't be here."
Newcastle reflection
"You look at it, and you want to go away - but the only way is to get back on the horse. It's gone, behind me, now we move forward.
"Newcastle is gone. It's a chapter of my football life. I want them to do well under Eddie. In a few years they might think finishing 12th and 13th mightn't have been so bad after all.
"Now it's time to take West Brom forward.
"I think Newcastle will stay up. Nothing has changed, though they've added a fair few to their squad. I wish them the best of luck."
Bruce has landed
"The Midlands mafia are here!" He says as he greets the press here today.
"I've had one or two opportunities, couple from abroad, and I didn't even think about it. I got the call off Ron, do you fancy a bit of a go at that?
"Did I have the enthusiasm for it? Yes. This is an opportunity for me to come back and enjoy management."
Bruce is here any second
The new gaffer will be conducting his first Albion press conference momentarily.
Listen to the man
Tony Bomber Brown wants West Bromwich Albion’s fanbase to offer their full support to new boss Steve Bruce as he seeks to guide the current squad out of their recent rut of form and back into automatic promotion contention.
Bruce has taken over on an 18-month contract after Valerien Ismael left in a haze of toxicity earlier this week, just seven months into a four-year contract.
There remain 17 matches left of the Championship season, and Albion - for all of their poor form - remain in the top six (even if only just), so Bruce has plenty to work with and is hoping to hit the ground running at one of his former haunts, Sheffield United, next Wednesday.
READ: Bomber wants unity in the dressing room and unity in the stands
See you soon!
Chris Wilder admits that football management is an "addiction" as his friend and counterpart Steve Bruce takes over at West Bromwich Albion.
The 61-year-old has signed an 18-month contract at The Hawthorns and is being tasked with leading them back to the Premier League, just months after he left boyhood club Newcastle United in rather toxic fashion.
For some, that would’ve been considered the end of Bruce’s managerial career. He could afford to kick back and relax, having overseen 11 jobs spanning more than 20 years.
He had other ideas, clearly.
Admitting he was probably ‘mad’ to make a return to work so soon after his Tyneside departure to talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan this week, Bruce couldn’t keep away - and Wilder totally understands that burning desire to remain in the industry.
READ: Wilder speaks out on Bruce's appointment and hints at the job he didn't get
The man manager
The fractures at West Brom couldn’t be ignored towards the end of Valerien Ismael’s reign.
Robert Snodgrass was subtle in showing his disdain for the former Albion boss, when he thanked everyone at the club save for Ismael, upon his departure earlier this week. Jordan Hugill was more to the point about what he’d endured after leaving for Cardiff City.
Sam Johnstone was the subject of an "internal issue". Semi Ajayi and Kenneth Zohore were others who’d have no, or very little, part to play for months and months.
By the end of Ismael’s tenure, which came as a result of damaging defeats to Preston North End and Millwall, the chips in the dressing room had turned into cracks. That’ll happen, if you don’t deal with the chips in the first place.
READ: Bruce has shown his man management credentials before - and he'll need to again
Glowing praise
Steve Bruce is the new man at the helm of West Bromwich Albion, and he is being tasked with helping the club return to the Premier League at the first time of asking - a bid which, regrettably, was faltering under predecessor Valerien Ismael.
Bruce has been out of work since October when he left boyhood club Newcastle United following the completion of their Saudi takeover, having guided them to successive mid-table finishes.
Prior to that he spent a brief time at Sheffield Wednesday, but Bruce’s CV details 1000 matches of experience and multiple promotions from this division - something are Albion are hopeful of him replicating come May.
That record in the Championship can’t be ignored, but it’s in the Premier League where the nation’s best bosses have spoken previously about Bruce - and they’ve been glowing, too.
READ: What Pep and Klopp have said about 'exceptional' Bruce
The obvious choice
That Steve Bruce wasn’t the most thinking-outside-of-the-box appointment by West Bromwich Albion was quite by design.
Having spent £2m to break Valerien Ismael free from his Barnsley contract last summer, only then to sack him seven months into a four-year agreement, meant that Albion reverted to the tried and tested.
Ismael wasn’t so much an experiment, but he was a risk. It was hoped that he could roll out his vision for years to come, implementing youngsters that the club were producing into his first team and slowly building towards what he’d manage to achieve in such a short space of time at Oakwell.
It became clear, though, that by the final week of his tenure Ismael’s job was untenable. The risk had failed to pay off and, like 12 months earlier upon the sacking of Slaven Bilic, Albion were once again managerless mid-season.
READ: Why Albion turned to Bruce after Ismael axe
One clear aim
Steve Bruce has arrived at West Bromwich Albion with one clear aim - to lead them back to the Premier League.
Bruce, 61, has replaced Valerien Ismael as the club’s new manager and he inherits a side who, while confidence levels are alarmingly low after a dreadful run of recent form, remain in the play-off places with 17 matches left to play of the Championship season.
Bruce won’t have a January transfer window to work with, so he must achieve a prompt turnaround from the squad at his disposal.
Formerly of Birmingham City, with whom he was promoted twice from the Championship in 2002 and 2007, and then of Aston Villa, who lost a play-off final during his tenure in 2018, Bruce knows this part of the world very well indeed.
“I did not envisage I would return to management this quickly, but once I got the phone call, I knew I could not resist the challenge of getting this club back to where they want to be.
“I am coming in with one aim and that is to get Albion to the Premier League.”
READ: First words from new gaffer Bruce
West Brom fans react
West Bromwich Albion have appointed Steve Bruce as their new manager following the sacking of Valerien Ismael.
Former Aston Villa and Birmingham City boss Bruce is a Championship promotion specialist and he has signed an 18-month contract at the Hawthorns.
Assistants Stephen Clemence and Steve Agnew, as well as coach Alex Bruce, will join James Morrison and Gary Walsh on the club’s backroom staff.
West Brom are currently eight points off an automatic promotion spot and are perilously close to slipping out of the top six play-off places altogether, with just goal difference separating them and seventh placed Nottingham Forest.
And Baggies fans have been reacting to the appointment on Twitter. Here's a sample of what they had to say...
@ TheRainbowStand : Welcome to the greatest football club in the world.
@ kevatton : Welcome to the Hawthorns - you start with a clean slate where I’m concerned.
@ jk031176 : Come on then, Brucey! Let’s show the Geordies just how wrong they were about you!
BREAKING
Albion have announced the arrival of Steve Bruce, on an 18-month contract!
Bruce joins the club just a day after the club announced the departure of predecessor Valerien Ismael.
Full details and comments from the club can be read here.
Fans' verdict
Supporters have given their thoughts on the imminent arrival of Steve Bruce as manager.
Bruce 'close to accepting' job
Steve Bruce is 'close to accepting' the job at the Hawthorns, according to the Athletic.
It is claimed that West Brom are finalising a contract for the former Newcastle man who looks set to arrive at the club.
Newcastle message
Newcastle fans have given their reaction as West Brom reportedly close in on appointing Steve Bruce.
The manager left St James' Park earlier this season following a takeover at the club.
Latest odds
It's no surprise that Bruce remains the heavy favourite with the bookmakers.
The former Newcastle boss is 1/8, but there is some other names included in the runners and riders that may catch the eye.
Offer 'on the table' for Bruce
West Brom are said to have held 'talks' with Steve Bruce over the vacant managerial position after the sacking of Ismael.
Following the decision to make a change, Bruce was instantly installed as the bookmaker's favourite.
Reports now suggest that a potential deal is edging closer.
The story of Ismael sacking and Albion's only choice
I thought the nadir of West Bromwich Albion’s season was Queens Park Rangers, last month.
It was hashtag Albion That that Charlie Austin, assisted by Chris Willock no less, would bring their former employers’ automatic promotion hopes crashing down around their ears.
That needed to be their rock bottom. The only way was up. Except it wasn’t.
Having eventually broken down Peterborough United, Albion then proceeded to turn in two of their worst performances of the season against Preston and Millwall in the space of four days and succumb to both sides. It’s been said throughout this season that the Championship is a poor one this term, so the ease with which those teams eased past Albion was alarming indeed.
Saturday’s defeat at the New Den has proved to be the death knell of Valerien Ismael’s tenure and, regrettably, I believe the level of performance and subsequent results - married with the vitriol from the stands - meant Albion’s board had little choice.
Fans on next manager
Many names have already been thrown around, with the likes Steve Bruce, Neil Warnock, Garry Monk and Slavisa Jokanovic currently out of work.
Former Albion bosses Tony Mowbray, now of Blackburn Rovers, and Gary Megson have also been mentioned.
Megson's last job in the game was as Albion caretaker boss following the departure of Tony Pulis 2017.
Here’s a taste of what Albion fans have been saying so far on social media…
The runners and riders
Albion have immediately turned their attentions to replacing Ismael. Where do they go?
They’ve just parted with a manager who they spent £2m on getting him out of his previous club in the summer, and the compensation package won’t likely be cheap after handing Ismael a four-year deal.
The obvious route would be to sift through the list of those managers who are currently out of work. Who are viable? Who would be interested? Who possess the pedigree and the proven track record of getting out of this division?
Albion thought outside the box to a degree in the summer, and it ended calamitously. With less than half of the season to go, and their position in the Championship table looking vulnerable with each passing game week, they could do with a steady pair of hands to steer this ship - even if only until the summer.
If there are any others still in management already who would be deemed an ideal fit, is it a deal Albion could do? While the seat vacated by Ismael is still warm, the club are already working on identifying and appointing.
READ: The runners and riders as Albion search for a new manager
Full story
It's all happening today, isn't it?!
West Brom have confirmed significant changes at a senior level after the sacking of Valerien Ismael.
Ron Gourlay, who has been working as a club consultant since last summer in the absence of a sporting director, has assumed the role of chief executive, replacing Xu Ke, who now has a non-executive role at the club.
Owner Guochuan Lai, who paid a visit to the club before Christmas and attended the 1-1 draw with Cardiff City last month and by doing so hinted that a more hands-on approach from a previously silent majority shareholder can be expected, has named himself the club’s new chairman.
He replaces Li Piyue in that role.
READ: Gourlay makes Albion fans a promise
The bookies' odds
Steve Bruce 10/11
Tony Mowbray 6/1
Michael Appleton 10/1
John Terry 12/1
Lee Bowyer 14/1
Mick McCarthy 14/1
Alex Neil 16/1
Gareth Ainsworth 16/1
Paul Warne 16/1
Roy Keane 16/1
Wayne Rooney 16/1
Darren Ferguson 18/1
Darren Moore 18/1
Liam Manning 20/1
Neil Warnock 20/1
Paul Cook 20/1
Sam Allardyce 20/1
Lee Johnson 25/1
Sol Campbell 33/1
Nigel Adkins 40/1
Paul Ince 40/1
Emma Hayes 50/1
Ian Holloway 50/1
Mike Newell 66/1
More breaking news
Albion have also announced the departures of CEO Ken and chairman Li Piyue.
Ron Gourlay, who has been working as the board's consultant since the summer, has replaced Ken as CEO and owner Guochuan Lai will fill the chairman's role, hinting at a more hands on role in the coming months from the controlling shareholder.
Gourlay said...
“I am proud and honoured to be named Chief Executive Officer of this historic football club. I am aware of the issues we currently face, but I am not one to shy away from a challenge, and I am confident that by making both positive and necessary changes we will, in time, have the club back on track.
“During my short time here as a consultant I have seen and felt the disconnect between the club and its supporters and I will work tirelessly to rectify that. Open dialogue with fans will play a key part in rebuilding trust and I intend to communicate with supporters and the media on a regular basis.
“At boardroom level I intend to appoint directors with a wealth of football and business experience, who will have the knowledge and commitment required to take the club forward. In my conversations with Guochuan Lai during his recent visit we agreed the club needs to make significant changes in order to succeed. Some of these changes will take time to implement but they will all be in the best interests of the club.
“Our aim both in the short and long term is to be in the Premier League, but I recognise many of the issues at the club run deeper than which division we are playing in. The club requires a strategy for the future and once I have established an experienced board of directors, who can lead the many excellent staff already at the club, I will outline my plans to supporters in the coming weeks.
“Successes during my time here will be measured by how fans feel about the club they clearly love, and when the atmosphere at The Hawthorns has returned to the level for which it is famous, I will know we are on the right track.
“My immediate priority is to now appoint a new head coach following the departure of Valérien Ismaël. I would like to personally thank Val for his efforts and I wish him well in the future.”
Fans' reaction
@BigAjayi: I wish him well in the future but it had to happen
@ehayward93: Wish him well for the future. There was obviously a lot of drama behind the scenes that we'll never truly know about, but it just didn't work out.
@StevenGBorley: Best of luck Val but it wasnt a good fit for either party i think. Half the squad needs to follow him out the door too.
