Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ricky Charlesworth

Steve Bruce explains immediate West Brom changes including bringing in his son

Steve Bruce has begun to put his stamp on West Bromwich Albion.

The experienced boss was announced as the Baggies' new manager last week - the 11th different club in his extensive career in the dugout.

And he has wasted no time in assembling a new backroom staff at the Championship club.

Regular sidekicks Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence will accompany Bruce in the Midlands, along with his son Alex.

In addition, former West Brom player James Morrison will also work as part of the coaching set-up.

Bruce’s son Alex is now taking his first steps into coaching having completed all his badges and having hung up his boots recently.

Will Bruce get Albion promoted this season? Let us know in the comments section

Bruce senior, explaining the staff additions, said: “Steve Agnew is known throughout football to be a very, very, good right-hand man and a very good coach.

"My son is young, hungry. He has taken all his badges and is desperate to do well.

“It’s a bit like when I took Stephen Clemence when he finished playing at 32. I always think if you’ve got a grey top you need a bit of youth around you.

“There is a little bit of difference in all of them.

“I’ve been with them all a long, long, time and they are all going to be vitally important.

“I’m always under the belief when you go into a football club, you don’t have to make huge changes straight away.

“James Morrison has been a great player here, he is a young coach and I wanted to keep him on – he knows the club, wants the club to succeed, wants to do well, wants to be a coach.

“And I’m delighted for him to be a part of the team."

Many were surprised when Bruce, who has signed an 18-month contract, opted to return to football following his high-profile exit from Newcastle last year.

In the aftermath of his departure, which came after he marked 1,000 games in management, Bruce lifted the lid on how being in charge of his struggling local club affected him.

Now, he is back in football and his latest job begins with a game against one of his many former clubs, Sheffield United, on Wednesday night.

Speaking to the BBC after being unveiled as Baggies' boss, Bruce said: "My focus is on getting West Bromwich Albion back in the big league.

"And if I didn't think I could do that, I wouldn't be here. It's as simple as that. I would have declined the opportunity.

"I could easily have sat and watched the cricket. But I've recharged my batteries. What happened at Newcastle is history now.

"I asked myself 'Do I still want to do it? Do I still have the same enthusiasm? Do I want a fifth promotion?' And the answer had to be yes."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.