Ex-Baggies player believes Steve Bruce opposed structural change at West Brom

Carlton Palmer believes that Steve Bruce discouraged West Bromwich Albion from appointing a technical director in agreeing to replace Valerien Ismael as the club’s manager.

Bruce has picked up one point from two matches in the hotseat so far and will be desperate to pick up his first victory in the club’s trip to Luton Town on Saturday.

From Pepe Mel to Alan Irvine to Tony Pulis to Alan Pardew to Darren Moore to Slaven Bilic to Sam Allardyce to Valerien Ismael to Steve Bruce, it is hard to tell what kind of direction West Brom are trying to head in given their actions off the pitch in recent years.

Therefore, bringing someone in to clearly outline what that direction is and how they hope to get there could be a smart move.

However, former West Brom and England midfielder Carlton Palmer was unsure on the purpose of such a role and suggested that Bruce would have been against the idea when he spoke to GiveMeSport.

He said: “I’m yet to know what a technical director does; I still don’t get it.

“Obviously if they’ve asked Steve Bruce if he wants a technical director, I’m sure Steve Bruce has said no.”

It will be interesting to see how much patience Bruce is afforded by the supporters and club hierarchy at West Brom, with both clearly desperate to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The Verdict

It is smart in modern football to have some kind of Sporting Director, Technical Director or Director of Football type position in the boardroom, who will oversee the playing side of the club and will have a significant say in recruitment of players and managers.

There have been some very strange dealings with managers at The Hawthorns in recent years, Steve Clarke, Alan Irvine, Tony Pulis and Darren