Martin Keown can’t believe Steve Bruce is in at West Brom, says it should be Chris Wilder
Martin Keown cannot understand why Chris Wilder was not appointed West Brom manager in the summer, amid surprise at Steve Bruce’s return.
The ex-Newcastle boss was named the successor to Valerien Ismael who was sacked this week, having previously suggested that he was done with management after leaving the Magpies.
And former Arsenal and England defender Keown has expressed concern at the move, while suggesting that it proves the club made a mistake in not opting for the Middlesbrough boss originally.
Speaking live on talkSPORT on Friday (February 4, 10.30am) the pundit said: “I’m very surprised. I thought he was going to retire now from football management. I thought the stress that he put his family through with the Newcastle situation… took a lot out of him.
“He wants another challenge. He can’t turn his back on it. Football is addictive. I’m not sure this is the right thing for him to do.
“I looked at Chris Wilder… I don’t know why they didn’t pick him as the manager in the summer. He seemed to be the obvious candidate”.
Benefit of hindsight
It was too late to change things now but the former Sheffield United boss was available when the Baggies chose ex-Barnsley man Ismael.
It wasn’t long ago that Wilder was being hailed as the the hottest British manager when his ‘overlapping centre-backs’ were taking the Premier League by storm.
His Blades side dropped off badly in their second season in the top flight, and limped to relegation in front of empty stands during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But he is resurgent at Boro with a 66% win rate and only two defeats from his 12 matches, and his side are level on points with West Brom with a game in hand.
The ex-Halifax and Oxford boss was appointed manager on Teesside in early November at almost the exact point that fortunes at the Hawthorns began to falter following a strong start.
But it is now down to former Aston Villa and Birmingham man Bruce to lead the promotion bid.
In other West Brom news, Simon Jordan provided some “behind the scenes” insight into Bruce’s Villa history.