Steve Bruce has told his West Bromwich Albion players they must all live within an hour of the training ground next season, even though he will not be relocating from Cheshire. The former Newcastle United head coach had a similar approach whilst at St. James' Park, something which - according to reports - saw players question their training schedule, believing it was tailored for Bruce to travel back to Cheshire.
The former Magpies boss has struggled since signing on the dotted line at the Hawthorns. The Baggies fell out of the play-off picture and hurtled down the table.
Results have been indifferent for Bruce in recent weeks but he's hoping to mastermind a rebuild next season. The Baggies boss said he does not need to relocate as 'managers usually get sacked.'
READ MORE: The intriguing story of how Newcastle United caught Real Madrid napping on Bruno Guimaraes deal
He told the Daily Mail: "I have told them all (they all have to be within an hour of the training ground). People are going to throw it at me and say: 'Are you going to relocate from Cheshire?'
"But it doesn’t work with managers. When we sign a contract we usually get sacked. I have put forward what I would like to do next year – that is a rebuild of the squad.
"And the players that are here – along with the ones we bring in – have got to commit. We have too many people travelling. Professional athletes shouldn’t be spending three or four hours a day in a car. It catches up with you and probably takes a little bit of your career. You can have an apartment around the area. But you have to be here the majority of the week."
