Darren Bent tips Steve Bruce for West Brom promotion, expects uproar anyway
If Steve Bruce is appointed as the next West Brom manager it will be an unpopular move but the right one, says Darren Bent.
The former Newcastle boss is reportedly the front runner for the vacant managerial role at the Hawthorns after Valerien Ismael was sacked, with the club already in advanced talks according to Sky Sports.
It would be the third Midlands club that Bruce has taken charge of if he is appointed, having previously held the role at Aston Villa and Birmingham.
Focusing on his history of managing on both sides of rivalries, talkSPORT host Andy Goldstein says in a clip posted to the station’s Twitter account: “You can’t do Birmingham, Villa, then West Brom, Sunderland, Newcastle and the two Sheffield clubs.
“You’re just gonna upset people right?”
Bent agrees that “of course it’s gonna be uproar” but goes on to tout the “pedigree” of the former Manchester United captain with regards to getting teams promoted to the Premier League.
He goes on to say: “If you wanted to get a manager in that will give you the best chance of winning, and knows how to get it done, I can understand why they’ve gone to Steve Bruce, I really can”.
Thick skin
You can never accuse Bruce of shying away from a challenge, and that challenge more often than not seems to be working in an environment where everyone is pre-programmed to hate him.
It appears that he has not been overly damaged by the constant criticism he received at Newcastle, where he was never really accepted following the departure of the popular Rafael Benitez.
Speaking of the Spanish manager, his recent tumultuous experience at Everton where fans rejected him from the off due to his Liverpool history, appears not to have put Bruce off either.
So if he comes in and the fans don’t support him he will presumably feel right at home, and his ability to get clubs out of the Championship is good.
He has gained promotion with Hull and Birmingham previously, and only lost in the Playoff Final with Aston Villa.
And if Bent is tipping him to be a success he must have some ability, as the pair were reported to have fallen out when they were both at Sunderland before the striker’s big money move to Villa Park (Belfast Telegraph).
In other West Brom news, this major Premier League figure has been mooted for the job following the new CEO’s arrival.