Steve Bruce disagrees with Allardyce that West Brom have been singled out by PL
Steve Bruce is refusing to buy into the idea that West Brom are being singled out for unfair treatment by the Premier League.
Baggies boss Sam Allardyce has been steadfast in his criticism of the authorities for ‘trying to get us relegated’ after their fixture with Newcastle United was arranged for less than 65 hours after they played Everton on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will have enjoyed a full week break by the time they pitch up at The Hawthorns on Sunday, but Bruce sent out a reminder to Allardyce that it is not all about him.
As reported on Chronicle Live, he said: “We’ve all had this, where we’ve had such a hectic schedule.
“Our schedule a couple of weeks ago was bordering on being ridiculous also.
“We knew by looking at it, it was going to be a tough call for everybody, and the most difficult thing for the players, in particular, is that there has been no break.
“When you look at the injuries that most teams have got, then that’s the consequence of it.”
No room for sentiment in this game
Does Bruce have a point? Perhaps.
Newcastle were only afforded two days rest in between their fixtures with Aston Villa [January 23] and Leeds United [January 26], though they did enjoy eight hours more to recover with both games played in the evening [8pm and 6pm respectively].
We think Big Sam has definite cause for concern in this regard.
Eight hours might seem rather trivial in the grand scheme of things but at the elite level fine margins are everything and after an arduous clash with Everton on Thursday our side could do with as much help as possible.
So why couldn’t the game be played on Sunday evening, or at least late afternoon so that it is not first thing?
The reality is that the Premier League have a vested interest in making money and scheduling the Manchester Derby and European chasers like Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur will bring in more viewers later on in the day.
On this occasion we have become the casualties of a cut-throat corporate decision, but it looks like we have been done dirtier than most others.
In other West Brom news, Albion fans could be set for Hawthorns reunion in May.
Be sure to follow West Brom News on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on the Baggies and more exclusive interviews with Kevin Phillips.