West Brom boss Steve Bruce speaks out to the media over that video of his row with a fan after the game against Preston in midweek.
The manager, under huge amounts of pressure, was filmed having a heated discussion with a passionate Baggies supporter next to the club’s coach outside Deepdale on Wednesday after their defeat.
This comes with West Brom’s wretched run of form of late – which has seen them win one game in 12 and sit inside the Championship’s relegation zone.
@WBA Steve Bruce claiming that I swore at him last night, after his son (employee of yours) gave me & my 13 yr old son the middle finger! I never swore at him, I simply told him to get out my club, and his brat of a son stuck his finger up at us!!! @talkSPORT @SkySportsNews #wba pic.twitter.com/FgJ4bd2ONk
— Andrew Beaven (@andybaggie) October 6, 2022
They have lost three of their last four outings which has seen huge criticism of the manager and their chief executive Ron Gourlay from the fanbase.
But Bruce boss defended his actions when he was confronted by the angry fan and explained what happened in Lancashire.
“I went to placate someone who was shouting and bawling obscenities at us from a very short distance,” he said when asked.
“I got off the coach, as far as I can remember, to say I understand his frustrations.
“But that there’s no need to be shouting and bawling when there are kids around. I understand it, I get it. ‘Have a safe trip home’ was how I ended it to him. That was it as far as I’m concerned.”
According to stats, this is Albion’s joint-worst start to the season in the second tier since the EFL was founded. And Bruce has been heavily criticised for their performances on social media which is something he expects.
He said: “I’ve had it since I started.
“If you want to do this job there are going to be times when you are up against it, whether you’re a football player and your team isn’t doing very well, or as a manager.
“It’s magnified these days. We didn’t have social media 10 years ago. I’m not aware of what’s being said on social media.
“I can probably guess it isn’t very savoury but is social media anything other than savoury?
“When do you get everyone saying how wonderful everything is on social media?”
Bruce adds that he believes he can turn it around – and he will not throw the towel in. “I will never give in. I’ve quit when I’ve wanted another job, I’ll give you that,” he continued.
“But when it gets messy, like it is now, I’ve got no intention.
“When you’re up against it, it’s how you judge yourself and how you’re going to try and get out of it.
“The reason why I’ve lasted so long is that I try and get out of it as best I can, starting with a win, that’s all you can do. I haven’t got enough results.
“The only time we showed it was the back end of last season.
“In the last 12 games of last season we hit promotion form, and I’m disappointed we haven’t been able to carry that forward into this season.”
🎙️ “We’ve got to give them something to shout about, I understand their frustrations”
West Brom manager Steve Bruce says his team has to get a result against Luton this weekend pic.twitter.com/7vvJ1SipQv
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 7, 2022
talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan has slammed Steve Bruce for being “not good enough” as West Brom manager after leading them to third from bottom in the second tier.
Jordan said Bruce should be expecting “serious ramifications” for the results he’s produced regardless of the fact they’ve been unlucky in some games.
“He’s got to do better,” he said. “Ironically they’re doing okay against the top sides in the division. The perceived top sides and they were expected to be one of them, the Burnley’s and Norwich’s they’re taking points off them.
“I think the game against Preston, they had the bulk of the possession, 20 shots on goal but didn’t score any goals.
“But put all that to one side. You cannot go to West Bromwich Albion as the person that’s designed to bring them back into a situation where they get out of the league, and take them to third from bottom in it. And not expect to have some serious ramifications from it.
“You know, a 25% win rate at a club that’s set up to be getting promoted will get you the sack.
“The altercation with the fans, you know the fans have the right to an opinion and that opinion needs to be probably tempered at times and presented in a certain way. I’ve seen the video and I don’t know whether Alex is getting involved and so on and so forth.
“But the bottom line is, I always defend Steve because I’ve worked with him. And I know what capability of a bloke and a manager. But this is not, I can’t sit here. The job that he’s doing at West Brom is not good enough.
“He’s right to say some of these results haven’t quite gone their way, but at the end of the day you’re in an outcome business.”
❌ “A 25% win rate at a club set-up to get promoted will get you the sack.”
🤦♂️ “You cannot go to West Brom as the person designed to get them out of the league & take them to 3rd from bottom.”
Simon Jordan says Steve Bruce is not doing enough to keep his job at #WBA. pic.twitter.com/5uTuYgnfaP
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 7, 2022
Fan site West Brom News wrote: “Jordan admitted himself that he always looks to defend Bruce, but the job he’s done at The Hawthorns is simply indefensible now.
“There have been plenty of draws this season and ultimately the team isn’t too far off a swing up the table, but there is very little confidence that the club will see that while he is in charge.
“He’s been backed in the market with plenty of additions that have undoubtedly made the squad stronger, and there’s no argument now that it isn’t his squad that he has shaped in his own way.
“Results have been poor, there has never been a relationship between the manager and the fans and it would be best for everyone if he was let go as soon as possible.
“Instead he’s in charge of preparing the team for the clash with Luton on Saturday, so we’re going to have to get behind him one more time at least.”
This is how Twitter users reacted as West Brom boss Steve Bruce speaks out to media over that video of his row with a fan…
@baggiedave70: Many Albion fans wanting a Luton win if it results in Bruce’s sacking
@LaPunthereBleue: I don’t get this fella. He seems to get to the “dead man walking” stage in record time at every club (well every club he hasn’t jumped ship from for a better offer) yet still seems to find another high profile managerial position. This will be him at Boro or Cardiff in 6 months.
@ToonMouthTyne: Literally word for word what he was saying for us, this time last year….. #NUFC
@SenNufc: Churning out the same waffle year after year. Fraud.
@danwba_: Come on Luton
@kingofchezo_WBA: Sounds like the same words he’s used at every club he’s been at when he’s been under this amount of pressure! ‘hey don’t blame me im nice guy steve’ blames everyone else but himself
@toon_dublin: Mother of CHRIST!!! He’s painful to listen too
@ItsSamson2: Blaming everyone except himself. Should go down in history as the world’s greatest fraud.
@Callumjmoore94: Our hierarchy is a joke, get this man out of our club
@duttsy69: Hmmmmmm this sound very familiar like I’ve heard him say this all before!!! Oh wait!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂 this man should never get another managerial job ever again!
@James18209464: “I understand their frustrations, but I need my payout”
@Chrisev40223978: Bruce has moved onto his 6 months into the job script…. Understand the frustration, let’s not make it about me, support the team …. Blah blah blah How the hell can chairmen not see through this bloke
@JimmyWatt19: You can see it in his eyes , he doesn’t believe one word he’s saying. The prat is just waiting for his payout when he gets the sack , that man his made a living on getting the sack.
@neilTheMagpie: Just rewind the clock to his last several appointments to hear the same s**t. I feel the pain of #wba fans.
@SlaterTony: Yawn, same shit different club, poor baggies fans are just the latest victims of the Steve Bruce excuse train, likely it’s their fault the teams doing bad for booing #wba #NUFC
@x_RachelC: Plenty to shout about lately up the Albion mate 🤣🤣🤣 hopefully today is the turning point and he’s gone
@_SeanNUFC: He couldn’t give a fuck man 🤣 he’s waiting for his p45 and his nice paycheck the cabbage
@DanMillard1992: Completely off a script this is. Clichés galore. Since he’s been here the atmosphere and attendances have been awful. Just say it as it is and stop the complete bull shit.
@NatMansell: You don’t understand my frustrations mate considering you’ll be walking away with millions regardless when we’re paying and travelling for hours to see our club go to shit
@laurenwbafc: How he still has our badge on his shirt is beyond me. Fraudulent #wba
@Ollie9671: Fuck off your tactics, team selections, general football and the attitude of the team under you is woeful. Time to go cabbage head. #bruceout
You must be logged in to post a comment Login