Former West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday boss Steve Bruce has been linked with a shocking return to the Championship, according to the latest reports.
Bruce had been managing in the Premier League with Newcastle United but left the club at the end of 2021 when the Saudi PIF bought the club. The writing had been on the wall for the experienced coach ever since the takeover as fans had been growing restless with results and the team’s style of play. Eventually, the new board pulled the trigger on his time in charge and Bruce was replaced with former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe who has led the side ever since.
Later, the three-time Premier League winner with Manchester United took over at West Bromwich Albion after Valerien Ismael was relieved of his duties. Bruce lasted merely eight months with the Baggies and was sacked early into the 2022/23 campaign with the side sitting 22nd in the Championship.
In the aftermath of his dismissal at The Hawthorns, Bruce announced he was retiring from football management, having been in charge of 11 different clubs in English football, earning four different promotions to the Premier League during his career, twice with Birmingham City and two more times with Hull City.
Nevertheless, journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that the 63-year-old is one of the names that has been discussed behind the scenes at Turf Moor as the Burnley board scramble to find a manager to succeed Vincent Kompany after the former Belgium captain left his role in Lancashire to become the new boss at Bayern Munich.
Writer’s View
This would be one of the most shocking appointments of the year so far, perhaps just edging Kompany’s move to Bavaria. On paper, Bruce has a tremendous managerial record, earning four promotions in his career, but his last few stints in the dugout haven’t quite gone to plan.
His time at West Bromwich Albion was disastrous and perhaps his most recent success came eight years ago wi Hull. It’s difficult to see many Burnley fans being happy if Bruce is the man who takes the reins over the coming weeks.
