As rumours begin to circulate about who the next Derby County manager could be, we take a look at one contender who could fit the Rams perfectly.
Hull manager Steve Bruce
After announcing the suspension of manager Nigel Pearson, Derby County fans are abuzz over who might become their next manager.
Multiple names have been linked with the job so far, including former head coach Steve McClaren, Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett and Pearson’s assistant, Chris Powell. However, it’s the former Hull City manager, Steve Bruce, whose name seems to make most sense.
Here’s three reasons why Bruce could be the right man for the Derby job:
Hull City manager Steve Bruce
Adaptability: Over his managerial career, Bruce has experimented with a number of formations.
At Hull City, he often switched between a 3-5-2, which utilised Hull’s wing-backs, and a 4-3-3, which granted a lot of the ball to his impressive midfield trio of Huddlestone, Livermore and Diame. Bruce’s systems were always picked to bring the best out of the squad of players he had: something which Nigel Pearson has been criticised for.
During his time at Derby, Pearson tried to implement a 4-4-2 upon a team which has been playing a 4-3-3 for the last few years. Bruce’s ability to recognise what system best suits his team could be useful trait at Derby.
Hull City manager Steve Bruce and Alex Bruce celebrate with the trophy after winning promotion back to the Premier League
Dealing with pressure: Whether it be fighting for promotion or fighting relegation, Bruce has faced many tough challenges. He’s found himself in cup finals, play-off finals and relegation six pointers, collecting a wealth of experience and know-how.
One criticism that is often levelled at Derby is there inability to deal with pressure. Year after year, Derby seem to crumble towards the final stages of the season, a trait which seems to have struck a lot earlier this time around. Perhaps someone with Bruce’s knowledge of dealing with the pressures of the game could help absolve this teams recurring daemons.
Hull manager Steve Bruce and Derby manager Darren Wassall
A Leader: Throughout his entire footballing career, both as a player and a manager, Steve Bruce has been a natural leader.
At Manchester United, Bruce wore the armband, leading United to the double in the 1993-94 season, and as a manager, Bruce has always been firm in taking responsibility for both his players and for results.
If there’s one thing that stands out the most about watching Derby County at the moment, it’s that, at times, they look like they need someone to pull them together and lead them through the 90 minutes. Bruce might just be that leader the Rams need, and the right manager to finally get the sleeping giant back to the Premier League.
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