Problems may have run deeper at West Brom than ex-manager Steve Bruce – Kevin Phillips
Steve Bruce wasn’t entirely to blame for the struggles of West Brom in the Championship this season according to ex-Baggies forward Kevin Phillips, and the problems run deeper within the club, he told Express and Star.
The ex-England international enjoyed two goal-laden seasons at The Hawthorns but now sees his former side languishing on the edge of the Championship relegation zone after a dire run of form under ex-manager Bruce.
The English coach managed just a 25% win ratio in west midlands, having won eight, drawn 12 and lost 12 of his 32 games at the helm.
Phillips expressed his sorrow at the way proceedings ended up regarding the 61-year-old, and believes there may be some more ingrained issues at the club that need resolving following his sacking.
He told Express and Star: “No one envisaged them to be where they are. Certainly with the players they have in the squad, at times when I’ve watched them this season you’re thinking ‘how are they down where they are?’
“Of course, there was Brucie in charge who is vastly experienced at getting teams out of that league, you kind of thought it was a no-brainer.
“You can’t blame it all on Brucie, he came and did his best, it’s probably clear there are issues there to be sorted.
“When an experienced manager like Brucie comes in and couldn’t quite get it right, you think is it things that run a little bit deeper than that?”
Truly terrible football
A run such as the one that Bruce managed really is inexcusable for a club of West Brom’s magnitude, and unfortunately, the blame must fall on his doorstep.
The English manager had a squad that was capable of competing in the upper realms of the Championship table, but he left The Hawthorns with a solitary win from the opening 13 games of the season.
You could feel the writing was on the walls for several weeks before the inevitable sacking, as it wasn’t just the results that were dreadful, but the performances as well.
Phillips does have a point in terms of extenuating circumstances, with the club’s recruitment notably poor over the past few seasons, proving themselves unwilling to refresh an ageing squad.
The likes of Kyle Bartley and Jake Livermore are beyond their best and have struggled with the competitiveness of the Championship this season, but overall, Bruce should have done better with a decent crop of players.
In other West Brom news, the club are handed a new boost in their transfer pursuit of midfielder Jon Russell.