Steve Bruce ready to 'wheel and deal' for new look West Brom
Steve Bruce says he is ready to wheel and deal to transform Albion’s squad – with the boss believing he has shown in the past he knows how to conduct a mass overhaul.
Following a dismal campaign that currently sees them sitting in the bottom half of the table, Bruce has been tasked with building a new Baggies side for the Championship next season.
That won’t be easy with the vast majority of Albion’s underperforming players contracted for next year.
But the boss believes he showed at Villa he is capable of moving players out to bring new ones in.
“I was in a similar position to this one down the road at Aston Villa,” the 61-year-old said.
“It needed a major rebuild and we went on to lose the play-off final.
“I was sacked three months later but that is football.
“We didn’t have a huge amount money. I had to sell (Nathan) Baker the big centre-half to bring in John Terry.
“You have got to wheel and deal and I’d like to think I’ve got the experience to get that across.”
Bruce says building a side is one of the things he enjoys most in football.
“I always have enjoyed it and that is probably why I am here,” he continued.
“It’s what I’ve done for the past 20-years and I’m quietly confident that we can do it.
“We have got great support, it’s a great club with a fiercely loyal fan base. Fiercely loyal which is something to build on.
“And I’m determined to give them a team they can associate with and which they come and enjoy watching.
“I think they have seen the same players too often maybe.
“It’s not the players fault either. But we need to freshen the whole place up.”
Bruce says refreshing the squad will give a huge lift to the players that do remain at the club.
“We are going to work as hard as we can,” he added.
“Not everyone is going to go and let’s be fair we have still got some good players for this division here.
“But the club needs to be freshened up.
“There is a lot that have been here for a long time and I think the supporters want to see some new faces more than anything.
“And the players that do stay will respond to that. Absolutely they will.
“You can change the manager or the coach.
“But there is nothing like a new player, a good player, coming in.
“Maybe it will be three, four, five, six, maybe.”
