West Brom closing in on Valerien Ismael replacement as contract set to be finalised

Steve Bruce is set to accept a contract to become the new manager of West Bromwich Albion, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

The 61-year-old was reported to be in talks yesterday to replace Valerien Ismael in the dugout at The Hawthorns, with the Frenchman lasting just half a season following his summer move from Barnsley.

And those talks have seemingly progressed well to the point that Bruce is ready to step back into football management, just over three months after leaving Newcastle United by mutual consent following their Saudi takeover.

Bruce has won promotion as a manager four times from the Championship – twice with Birmingham City and twice with Hull City – with Albion clearly searching for a short-term, experienced winner to take over from Ismael.

And when he is appointed it will mean that West Brom are the third Midlands-based club that Bruce will have managed in his career, having had spells at both Birmingham and Aston Villa in the past.

The Verdict

Bruce won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but at Championship level he is a solid appointment.

Even though he’s a Newcastle fan, their supporters never really warmed to him and there’s been doubts for a while that he can still manage at the top level.

However he should have the nous for a promotion battle in the second tier and he desperately needs to turn around the Baggies’ fortunes after a poor run of results.

Fan apathy during the final days of the Ismael reign was at an all-time high so it’s crucial for Bruce to get the fans back onside quickly and winning games of football will be a good place to start.

Source