Steve Bruce discusses his return to management with Blackpool
Steve Bruce was announced as Blackpool's new manager last week, with the 63-year-old filling the vacant role left following Neil Critchley's sacking.
The former Manchester United figure has been out of work for nearly two year, after being sacked by West Brom in October 2022.
Bruce explains why he's ready to return to football after a break and what he hopes to achieve with the Seasiders.
The former Manchester United figure has been out of work for nearly two year, after being sacked by West Brom in October 2022.
Bruce explains why he's ready to return to football after a break and what he hopes to achieve with the Seasiders.
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00:00So Steve, you've been here just under a week now, so how has it gone so far?
00:13Well, hang on a minute, they've just had three days off, which was the previous regime, so
00:17I didn't want to interrupt that before we started in upsetting a few.
00:21So really, it's my first real day today, which is the big lead up to the weekend on Saturday,
00:26which I'm looking forward to immensely.
00:30But the players have been great, we've had now two training sessions, so yeah, getting
00:35the ideas across and see what we can do.
00:40How do you start off with the players?
00:41Do you do it the easy way in, or do you go in from the start?
00:43Well, that's the one thing that they are now, there's a change in manager, and I've just
00:49said to them, look, what's gone on in the past I'm not really interested in, it's where
00:55you are now, and it's up to them to do their best to try and get in the team.
01:01That's my job now, is to pick 11, and then when you pick 11, the other 10 aren't happy,
01:06or shouldn't be happy, so that's always the hard part.
01:10Has it been like for you personally, being back out on the training field and being relaxed?
01:14Well, it's what I've missed, that's why I'm back in it.
01:17I realised that retirement wasn't for me.
01:22I needed to take a break, and I forced myself to take a break for the first 12 months, and
01:28that was quite easy, but the longer it's gone on, especially the last two, three months,
01:32and now the start of the season again, I've missed that buzz of getting up and getting
01:39on the training ground and working with the players and trying to win a match on a Saturday.
01:44How close in that time-off did you think, yeah, this is it, I'm going to step back for good?
01:50I never thought I'd step back for good, I thought, well, what am I going to do?
01:54Can I do something in maybe a different capacity?
01:57But when the opportunity came along, I thought, why not, why not?
02:02I know David Downs from Retirement Aston Villa, I know Dean Hughes from Hull and Aston Villa
02:08and Sheffield Wednesday, so when I met the owner, when I met the owner and listened to
02:15his ideas and what he wants, then for me it was, why not, let's see if I can get them
02:22where they want to try and get to.
02:24We've got a squad which is capable, it's a decent enough squad in depth, so we hope that
02:31we can be there or thereabouts.
02:33I'm always interested in how it works with managers, when normal people apply for jobs,
02:37you have to apply yourself, do you apply for a job the day they approach you?
02:42I didn't, I really didn't apply, no, I just got a phone call from David, would I go and
02:47meet the owner?
02:49Quite simple, three strokes like that and I'm sure the owner went to see other people,
02:55I would presume, I don't know, but you'd have to ask him that.
02:59I was delighted when he gave me the opportunity to say, would you come on board?
03:04Do you feel like the right time to get back into the game?
03:06Absolutely, for me anyway, yeah, I've missed it.
03:09That's why I'm sitting here really, I enjoy getting up and putting on a training session
03:14and what we've done this morning is all part and parcel of management and leading towards
03:21a Saturday, which is always the one area where you're like most, it's a Saturday afternoon
03:26and I've missed that buzz, that's for sure.
03:28Before you took this job, last month or the month before you was linked to the Jamaica job,
03:33so were you interested in any job at all?
03:35No, no, no, I've had a few interviews and conversations, shall we put it, maybe that way,
03:43and I had a conversation with the Jamaican FA, it didn't go very far, unfortunately
03:49it got out in the press and I think that's been great here, I didn't think anybody had
03:54a sniff that I was going to be in charge here, so we managed to keep it in the wraps.
04:00Do you feel refreshed now coming back into it?
04:03Listen, I've had a really good break, I've done things I've wanted to do and yeah, I'm raring to go.
04:10As I said, I've missed it, it's the one reason why I'm back into it is that competitive edge.
04:17How lucky have I been? I've been going 40-odd years and had a break now for the best part of two,
04:22so I'm raring to go and let's hope we can do what we need to do.
04:28So you've seen many changes in the game, people always say take a step back, the game moves very fast,
04:33but how do you get your finger on the pulse if you come back in after a spree?
04:37Yeah, I've seen it, it's in you to watch the matches and I have to be brutally honest,
04:42I haven't seen a lot of Division 1, I've seen more of Division 2, my son's assistant manager at Salford
04:48and last season my son-in-law played for Salford, big Matt Smith, so I've seen a lot of Salford
04:54and I've seen a lot of the lower divisions, so I've really, really enjoyed it.
04:58I've been to Salford more than I have Old Trafford, so there's something real about the lower divisions
05:04which I've always enjoyed. And don't forget, it's where I started and actually made my debut against Blackpool
05:10in 1979 I believe it was, a long, long time ago, when Alan Ball was player manager.
05:17So if you're full circle then…
05:20I don't know if it's full circle or what it is, but look, however long I've got left I do not know,
05:25but we've set something in place here with Keezy and Dopes that is a progression,
05:33hopefully to be had. To get that progression we need a bit of success along the way,
05:38so we've put things in place that the two young lads will come and help me and Steve Agnew
05:44and that can only be a good thing for the club.
05:47You mentioned watching games out of management, how is that for someone who's been involved for so long?
05:52Is it frustrating to watch games?
05:53Yeah, there are a number of conversations I have with my son and I ask him,
05:57you know, you just ask all sorts of questions and I'm always intrigued now when I'm a manager
06:03of what substitutions that managers make and what do they do it for and you analyse all that.
06:09But at the end of the day I'm a fan of football, I just enjoy football,
06:13it's the only thing really that I've ever been any good at and I wasn't really that good at that either,
06:18but got through with enthusiasm and just thoroughly enjoyed it.
06:22I'm thoroughly enjoying watching a game of football.
06:25Obviously, Blackpool, you mentioned you've played against them in your first ever game,
06:30I'm guessing you've come up against them quite a few times in your career,
06:33what's the perception from the outside looking in?
06:35Well, I've always thought it's always a difficult place to go and get a result at Blackpool,
06:41so I'm hoping that that stays, I'm hoping that the supporters will get really right behind
06:48and let them enjoy what's going to be totally different, I can tell them that straight away.
06:53You know, all of our managers are different, the way I've watched the team this year
06:58and the way they've played last year, we will be different.
07:03So, I hope the supporters enjoy what we're going to try and dish out,
07:07they'll only ever really enjoy it if we start winning, which is the most important thing.
07:12You mentioned results are a key thing, but a big thing fans have been crying out for is to be entertained,
07:17so do you believe you can bring that kind of play as well?
07:20Well, I certainly hope so, I've been round the block a long, long time
07:25and if you ask the fans of Hull or Wigan or Sheffield or whatever,
07:32I would like to think that it's difficult when you're in the Premier League
07:39and you're with a Hull or a Birmingham or a Sunderland,
07:43you know with them clubs in the Premier League you're going to get beaten more than you win.
07:48It's very, very difficult to entertain at them levels because it's all about getting the result
07:57and surviving in the big league and that takes its toll as well.
08:03When you're at this level, I believe we've got a squad capable of matching anybody in the division.
08:08So, we will play a certain way, we'll just believe the supporters want to see.
08:14As I said, the proof will always be in the pudding, can we get a result and can we win?
08:19Supporters are always looking, no matter how you do it.
08:23You touched on it, it's a step down in division from maybe what we've been used to in recent times.
08:28Could we see a new Steve Bruce, could you reinvent yourself after a thousand games of professional football?
08:34Can you reinvent yourself?
08:35Well, do you know what's crept in with me over the years in particular is this,
08:40what way is the Steve Bruce way?
08:42As I said, if you ask anybody in the time at Hull or Villera or wherever,
08:48then I would like to think we give them a team that they enjoy watching.
08:52This one reminds me so much of when I walked into Hull.
08:56The training ground is very, very similar, two and a half pitches in the back of a housing estate.
09:01And if we can repeat what we did at Hull, a couple of promotions,
09:06an FA Cup final adventure into Europe, I think everybody would be delighted.
09:10And also give them a team that the supporters could associate with and enjoy watching.
09:16The point is about having that connection with the supporters.
09:19Supporters can go through Bluefield Road and think this team represents us.
09:22Well, that's me aim.
09:23It's what I want to try and achieve if I possibly can.
09:26So I'm looking forward to Saturday.
09:28Saturday is what you're in it for.
09:31That little bit of adrenaline gets you.
09:34First game and I'm looking forward to it already.
09:37It's only Monday.
09:38Will you have any nerves before Saturday?
09:40Possibly.
09:41Possibly even a minor.
09:42That little tingle before I address the players.
09:45It's been like 20 odd months since I did a team talk or got them together or took a training session.
09:51So, yeah, it was always a little bit apprehensive, a little bit of nerves.
09:56There's nothing wrong with that at all.
09:58I hope I've got the full rinse on Saturday where I do feel a little bit nervous.
10:03Yeah, of course.
10:04How long did talks with the club go on for before?
10:07You mentioned watching a couple of games.
10:09Yeah, I mean, I met the owner a couple of times within four or five days, really, of the appointment, something like that.
10:18So, as I said, that was the most important thing for me was to share the owner's ambition of where he wants the club to go back to.
10:28And that was vitally important.
10:31As I said, I know David Downs, the technical director, worked with him before and Dean, the chief scout here, worked with them before.
10:37So, it seems a good fit.
10:40How soon was your mind made up over this job?
10:44Well, when I was offered it, I thought, why the hell not?
10:48I know David. The owner seems a very, very decent man and wants the club to go forward.
10:53For me, it was a no-brainer.
10:55It didn't put me off that when Division One, I'm back in football, I've got no ego at all left in me.
11:02I enjoy football, I enjoy training, whether it's at the Premier League level or now in Division One, I thoroughly enjoy it.
11:09Obviously, the time you're coming in, the transfer window's just shut.
11:12So, you've got a lengthy period before you can make any of your own signs.
11:16Does that make it trickier or do you embrace that challenge?
11:19Well, that's the way it is.
11:21We've got a strong enough squad.
11:23When I look at the squad of players that we have got, we've got a squad in depth.
11:27We've picked up one or two injuries, which is obviously normal.
11:31But, yeah, we'll assess the squad of what we've got here.
11:35And then come January, if we can improve, that's always got to be the aim.
11:39If we can improve and improve the squad, then we'll try and act.
11:43Obviously, the previous manager played a certain way.
11:46Signings, maybe in the summer, fought to suit that.
11:50Have you been given a set?
11:51Well, I think when I look at the squad, they can be adaptable.
11:55Kesey went to a back four against Blackburn.
11:58They had to change, maybe, personnel a little bit because of the two injuries to the two lads.
12:04I believe this squad is capable of changing.
12:08I know they can play a back three because that's what they've been drilled into for the last year.
12:13So, I know that's in the back burner.
12:16But every manager has a different stamp.
12:19We're all different.
12:20How are you going to play?
12:21How are you going to be?
12:22How are you going to line up?
12:24I'll analyse the squad and think of what's best for us.
12:27They'll certainly want to play in a certain way, which they'll probably enjoy watching.
12:31So, it's very much a new chapter.
12:33You're looking at it from your fresh perspective.
12:36It's a new chapter for me.
12:38I think, well, we've got a squad which is good enough to take anybody on the division.
12:43It's going to be difficult with the likes of Birmingham and what they've done in particular.
12:47But I think we can be competitive.
12:50We've got some good players here.
12:52It's up to me to get the best out of them and get a few results and get us moving where we want to get to.
12:57You mentioned Birmingham.
12:58There's a few teams in this division who have spent big with good budgets.
13:02So, how difficult is this league?
13:05Well, it is when you look at it and you see it.
13:07There's six or eight teams or ten teams in it where you think, well, they're not bad and they've got a chance.
13:13I went to Wrexham on Saturday and their progression has been remarkable.
13:17That place was jumping.
13:19Absolutely jumping Wrexham was at the weekend.
13:21So, my aim is, can we do the same here?
13:24Why not?
13:25Are you ambitious to fight all this season?
13:28I wouldn't be here if I wasn't ambitious.
13:31I've always been led by ambition or the will to win.
13:34It's something in me, which I think if you lose that, then you don't come back to work with that ambition.
13:42So, my ambition is to take the club where they want to get to and that mirrors the owner too.
13:48So, after two years out, have you got an image in your mind of how long Steve Rees will go on for in management?
13:54Look, the progression of the club is important and that was the one thing I had in the addition to Keessie and Dobbs in particular.
14:03To bring Dobbs from the 18s to the first team.
14:06He's a big player here.
14:08Keessie did very, very well and I like what he did.
14:11So, hopefully they can learn.
14:13Who knows how long it will be?
14:15But in management now, it's two, three years down the line.
14:18Maybe there's a progression and a project in place and that's then up to the owner of whether the lads who hopefully can learn a bit under me.
14:27Certainly for there to be progression, we have to have a certain amount of success along the way.
14:32So, they're itching to go.
14:33They're all full of life, full of enthusiasm.
14:37They're young, desperately do well.
14:39They've been big players for Blackpool here.
14:42Big players.
14:44I'm sure they'll bring something to me in my management skills.
14:48Hopefully, they can learn a bit about the progression of the clubs in St. Ann's.