Steve Bruce ‘is highly likely to accept job as new West Brom boss TODAY… with contract negotiations close to completion’ ahead of his TWELFTH managerial post just three months after leaving Newcastle
- Steve Bruce is believed to be West Brom’s No 1 choice to replace Valerien Ismael
- The Athletic claim the 61-year-old will probably accept role with Baggies today
- It comes three months after he was sacked by Premier League side Newcastle
- The Baggies sit sixth in the Championship table after 29 matches played
Steve Bruce is increasingly likely to accept an offer to become West Brom’s new boss today, according to reports.
Sportsmail reported on Wednesday the former Newcastle manager is believed to be Albion’s No 1 choice following the Championship club’s sacking of the unpopular Valerien Ismael.
The Athletic claim contract negotiations to bring the 61-year-old to the Hawthorns are close to being finalised, just three months after he left St James’ Park, where he managed 13th and 12th-place finishes in his two full top-flight seasons there.
Steve Bruce is reportedly likely to accept an offer to become West Brom’s new boss today
He is set to replace Valerien Ismael (centre) who was sacked on Wednesday by the Baggies
A return to the dugout for Bruce would see him take on his 12th job in management, having also been in charge of West Midlands rivals Birmingham and Aston Villa previously.
Ismael was sacked as West Brom manager on Wednesday following last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Millwall, leaving the club in the final play-off spot in the Championship after 29 games.
But Baggies chiefs will hope Bruce can replicate his achievements with Birmingham and Hull by leading the club back into the Premier League.
He has won four promotions from the Championship as a manager, taking Birmingham up via the play-offs in 2002 before securing automatic promotion with the Blues in 2005-2006.
It comes just three months after the 61-year-old was sacked by top-flight side Newcastle
He also won promotion after finishing second in the Championship with Hull in 2012-13 and then took them up again through the play-offs three seasons later.
Bruce also led Aston Villa to the play-off final in 2018, and has also managed Sheffield Wednesday in recent seasons in the Championship.
West Brom believe he has the pedigree and experience to stabilise a team that has won just one of their last eight games across all competitions.
The Baggies would hope to have Bruce at the helm by the time they face Sheffield United – another of his former clubs – on February 9.
He is now set to follow the appointment of former Chelsea supremo Ron Gourlay as West Brom chief executive, in place of Xu Ke.
Bruce has won four promotions from the Championship as a manager, including with son Alex (left) with Hull in 2016
Barely 30 minutes after announcing Ismael had gone, Albion made Gourlay’s appointment official. Gourlay had been working with the board as a consultant and held a similar position at Chelsea from 2009-14.
In a remarkable opening statement, Gourlay spoke of the rift between club and fans and vowed to repair it, as well as appointing new directors.
He said: ‘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.
He is now set to follow the appointment of Ron Gourlay as West Brom chief executive
‘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 owner Guochuan Lai during his recent visit we agreed the club needs to make significant changes in order to succeed.
‘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.’