BRUCE IS A PRIZE OWL
Wednesday set to go for former Blades boss
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY are set to confirm Steve Bruce’s appointment as manager this week.
Wednesday are understood to have agreed terms on a £2million-ayear contract with Bruce to succeed Dutchman Jos Luhukay.
Bruce is the Owls’ No.1 choice to take over at Hillsborough and they lined him up before sacking Luhukay on December 21.
Bruce, who began his managerial career at city rivals Sheffield United, has told Wednesday he is prepared to take over early in the new year.
The former Aston Villa, Birmingham, Sunderland and Hull City boss lost both parents this year and wanted to spend the festive season with his family.
His backroom coaches Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence have already started watching Wednesday in preparation for his arrival and could be in place before he officially takes charge. The Owls hope Bruce’s first game will be Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Luton at Hillsborough.
Owner Dejphon Chansiri, who sacked Luhukay after a miserable run of just one win in 10 games, believes Bruce could mount a play-off bid.
The Geordie has won four promotions with Birmingham and Hull.
He took Birmingham up in 2002 and 2007 and repeated the feat with Hull in 2013 and 2016.
Bruce quit the Tigers shortly after his last promotion in the summer of 2016 when he fell out with owners, the Allams.
Bruce, who is 58 today, took over at Villa in October 2016 and came within a game of leading them back to the Premier League when they lost last season’s Championship play-off final to Fulham at Wembley.
His reign ended in ignominy in October when an angry fan threw a cabbage (left) at him as Villa blew a 2-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Preston at Villa Park.
The Holte End called for his head and he was dismissed because of their poor run. Chansiri has promised Bruce he will have cash to spend in the transfer window, even though he has put the club up for sale.
Caretaker Lee Bullen is keen for an appointment to be made soon, even though he has steadied Wednesday by recording two wins and a draw from his three games in charge.
Bullen said: “I would think there will be an announcement in the next couple of days. It’s not the sort of thing that you want dragging on and on.
“I think it needs to be done sooner rather than later so the players know exactly where they stand as well because you don’t want people in limbo.
“The sooner it’s done the better, in my opinion, especially with the transfer window coming up.” *Match report, Mirror Football pull-out Page 16