BRUCE’S YOUTH CLUB
STEVE BRUCE will give Sheffield Wednesday’s young guns the chance to land him a record-breaking fifth promotion to the Premier League as a manager.
New boss Bruce aims to lower the average age of the squad he inherited from axed predecessor Jos Luhukay as the Owls target a late charge for the play-offs.
He wants younger, quicker legs and that means talented academy products like Matt Penney, Ash Baker, Jordan Thorniley, Jack Lee and Fraser Preston getting the opportunity to shine. Bruce, 58, makes his home debut against relegationthreatened Reading this afternoon with his side nine points adrift of the top six.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realise that we need an injection of pace and energy,” he said. “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 it’s back to the Premier League with a Wednesday side who have not been in the top-flight since being relegated 19 years ago.
While the Owls have laboured in the lower leagues, Bruce has savoured four promotions to the top flight – two at Birmingham and two more in charge at Hull.
Only Cardiff’s Neil Warnock can match that record.