The Football League Paper

Bruce can get Baggies bouncing

WERE West Brom fans doing cartwheels when Steve Bruce was appointed manager on an 18-month contract on Thursday? Probably not. However, there is no doubt that he is a safe pair of hands at the wheel. With four promotions to the top flight under his belt, the 61-year-old knows exactly what it takes to lead a team into the big time.

That is what West Brom need right now after their Valerien Ismael experiment went horribly wrong. Brought in from Barnsley where his direct style of football proved an incredible success, it was tempting to believe that he would also be a hit at the Hawthorns.

But Ismael was perhaps better suited to working in an environment with lower expectations or an underdog tag. He could get his players to buy into his methods and the results were there for all to see.

However, a West Brom squad that had just come down from the Premier League and had experienced professionals who had been there and done it was never likely to be as malleable. He was never likely to get the same sort of buy-in.

In addition, and it shouldn’t be underestimated, the supporters were never likely to buy into it either.

Now that Bruce has come in, you wouldn’t expect West Brom to suddenly start playing Champagne football.

At the same time, it would be no great surprise if they immediately had a significant upturn in performances and results. They do possess quality players and they will no doubt be relieved to be let off the leash to play a more natural game.

After his testing tenure at Newcastle, Bruce will welcome a more positive environment at West Brom and has the nous to see what the Baggies need to do to challenge for promotion, whether that is via the automatic spots or the play-offs.

Any team that can put a run together can quickly climb the table and there is no West Brom have the potential to do that, so it should be an interesting next few months at the Hawthorns.