Derby County 0 Hull City 3 BRUCE NOSE HOW TO DO IT

CHAMPIONSHIP

WHEN Steve Bruce describes big matches, he talks about ‘smelling the hot dogs’.

Well, the odour of fried onions and meat will be wafting up his nose once more as he engineered a silence of the Rams at the iPro Stadium.

The next time from the direction of Wembley Way.

Unless the Tigers go lame on Tuesday night, this underrated manager will be adding to his list of memorable achievements in the Championship by leading Hull City to the play-off final.

It would be unfair to label the 55-year-old as a specialist in this division. He has spent just as much time in the Premier League, emerging from stints at Birmingham City and Wigan with his head held high.

And, given the mess either created or inherited by his successors at Sunderland, his stay at the Stadium of Light certainly holds up to scrutiny, too.

Challenged

For a coach who is not given credit for tactical intelligence, he propelled Hull City into the top flight two seasons ago on the back of an unfashionable three-man backline.

It is a blueprint he repeats in this unforgiving and tough arena. When challenged to find a solution, the amiable Geordie comes up trumps.

He did so at Birmingham City – twice over – galvanising and then propelling Trevor Francis’s underperforming side into the big time following a 17-year wait for top-flight football.

After suffering relegation at St Andrew’s after the board turned deaf on his pleas for help in the transfer market, he did it again.

This time on the back of teenage talent such as Nicklas Bendtner, Fabrice Muamba and Sebastian Larsson, courtesy of Arsene Wenger’s generosity in allowing the trio out on loan.

At the iPro Stadium, he was challenged once more. And his