BRING ON THE BABY OWLETS
Bruce vows to put his faith in young guns and end Wednesday’s exile from top flight
STEVE BRUCE will give Sheffield Wednesday’s youngsters the chance to land him a record fifth promotion to the Premier League as a manager.
The new Owls boss aims to lower the average age of a squad he inherited from his axed predecessor Jos Luhukay as he target a late charge for the play-offs.
He wants a sprinkling of younger, quicker legs on the pitch – and that means talented academy products such as Matt Penney (right), Ash Baker, Jordan Thorniley, Jack Lee and Fraser Preston being given an opportunity to shine.
Bruce today makes his home debut against relegation-threatened Reading, with Wednesday nine points off the top six.
He said: “I’m keen to add extra pace to the team. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realise we need an injection of pace and energy. We need a few more younger ones.
“It won’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t mean there will be sweeping changes, but that has to be the aim. We need to get a team together with a mixture of youth and experience, and see where it takes us.”
He is hoping where it takes them is back to the Premier League after an absence of 19 years.
While the Owls have laboured in the lower leagues, former Manchester United skipper Bruce has savoured four promotions to the top flight – two while in charge at Birmingham, and two more with Hull.
Only Cardiff’s Neil Warnock can match that record – but Bruce, fired by Aston Villa in October, wants it outright. He admitted: “That has to be the aim, and it’s why I keep on working. I nearly got there with Villa last May but then got the sack five months later.
“Now I honestly hope Wednesday will be my last job. If I can do three or four years, that means in this day and age I have done OK. It means I’ll have been quite successful.
“After starting my managerial career in Sheffield with United 21 years ago, finishing it at Wednesday might just be a good way to bow out.”
Reading boss Jose Gomes has told his men to be up for a scrap at Hillsborough.
“Steve Bruce is a good manager and has a good team,” he said.
“But we will fight for the three points. That’s what we must do – fight. We will do it.”