Another On Bites The Dust

[scousemouse]

Birmingham have become the 5th premiership side looking for a new manager , no sacking though , through choice .

Martin Jol has already turned Birmingham down. Carsan Yeong had better have a good second choice.

You can't really blame Bruce for joining Wigan , he knew he was going to get sacked once Young completed his takeover and Dave Whelean also trebled his wages .

[mrtoad]

Birmingham have become the 5th premiership side looking for a new manager , no sacking though , through choice .

Martin Jol has already turned Birmingham down. Carsan Yeong had better have a good second choice.

You can't really blame Bruce for joining Wigan , he knew he was going to get sacked once Young completed his takeover and Dave Whelean also trebled his wages .

I suppose this falls into the mutual consent bracket

Agree, a no brainer for Bruce. Really can't blame him at all.

[scousemouse]

Bruce leaves Birmingham for Wigan

Steve Bruce has left Birmingham City to become Wigan boss for the second time.

Latics chairman Dave Whelan confirmed the three-year contract on Monday, with Premier League rivals Birmingham City yet to release a statement.

Wigan will pay £3m in compensation to Birmingham, and Bruce will reportedly earn £2m a year with his new side.

"You would think nothing of paying £3m for a player," Whelan told BBC Radio 5 Live. "To have a manager of his quality it's a very, very cheap price to pay."

Bruce, who had a brief spell in charge of Wigan in 2001, succeeds Chris Hutchings, who was sacked at the start of November after 12 games in charge.

Hutchings told BBC Radio Five Live on Tuesday: "People at the club already know Steve. He's got a good track record of getting clubs up and this year's going to be big test for him.

"He's got a good squad of players. He would assessed the two squads and may have thought that Wigan's squad was stronger than Birmingham's," added Hutchings.

Last week, former Wigan boss Paul Jewell told the BBC he had rejected an "unbelievable" offer to return to the club.

"Straight away when Paul Jewell decided he wasn't going to come back to Wigan, Steve was the man we wanted," Whelan told 5 Live.

"He's a very, very talented young manager. He worked with me for six or seven weeks about five years ago.

"I wanted to keep him then but his wife wanted to live in London and he moved on to Crystal Palace."

Bruce was Birmingham manager for nearly six years but could have been out of a job in January if Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung's proposed takeover of City goes through.

The 46-year-old held what were described as "positive talks" with Yeung a fortnight ago after the 3-2 home win against Wigan.

But uncertainty remained over whether he had a long-term future at City once Yeung's expected takeover takes place.

BBC Radio 5 Live's Pat Murphy said: "They don't know whether Yeung is going to take over the club.

"Bruce feels a little bit out on the periphery, he's not getting as much support as he would like.

"He just feels he's got more chance of solidity and he can kick on and do himself justice as a football manager, rather than a firefighter, if he goes to Wigan."

Whelan is also keen to recruit Eric Black, Bruce's assistant at Birmingham.

Jewell left Wigan in the summer, saying he needed a break from football, and his assistant Hutchings stepped up to replace him but was fired with the team at the foot of the table.

They are 19th in the Premier League, with two league wins in 13 games, and are away at leaders Arsenal on Saturday.

"He may as well come in at the deep end and get stuck into the Gunners," said Whelan. "Steve Bruce will make Wigan Athletic a fighting machine again, that's what we've been lacking."

[EastSaxCol]

Think that this one would be genuinly mutual. He could do no more at Birmingham and Wigan were desperate.

I like the man - but don't see that taking over one relegation candidate for another will do is career much good.

[chavy]

I don't know what it is about Bruce ? He seems to have been around the managerial block so suppose will be ok for Wigan. Agreed he would have probably got the push if Carson Yeoung takes over.

[mrtoad]

I don't know what it is about Bruce ? He seems to have been around the managerial block so suppose will be ok for Wigan. Agreed he would have probably got the push if Carson Yeoung takes over.

Jewell seems to be in a good position to take over at Brum according to some reports. I'm hoping that Barry Fry goes back.

[scousemouse]

Carson Yeung is aiming pretty high in his selection of potential managers fot the brummies ( for some reason I just can't see Paul Jewell getting the job ).

So now both Jol and Lippi have turned them down , Carson had better have a good 3rd choice :

Lippi turns down Birmingham job

Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has turned down an offer to become Birmingham's new manager.

City wanted Lippi, 58, to succeed Steve Bruce, who has left St Andrews to take up the managerial reins at Wigan.

"We made an approach and he turned it down," Blues co-owner David Sullivan told the Birmingham Mail.

"This is not a stunt, it's genuine - he is available and we are looking at bringing in a manager of his stature and calibre, if at all possible."

Lippi guided Juventus to five Serie A titles in Italy and four Champions League finals, winning one in 1996, during two spells as manager.

In between, he endured an unsuccessful season as coach of Inter Milan.

Lippi, who has never coached outside Italy, became national coach in 2004 and took his team to World Cup glory in Germany, beating France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out after the final ended 1-1.

But he did not renew his contract with the Italian Football Federation after the tournament, deciding instead to take a sabbatical.

"He was one of the first we went to but unfortunately nothing materialised," said Sullivan.

"Of course, you get knock-backs. That's football. But if you do not try you will never know.

"It was the same with (former Tottenham manager) Martin Jol. It made sense for us to approach him.

"I want to stress to our supporters that we are working very, very hard to bring in the right man.

"Until you get to meet them and speak to them, you can never be quite sure, but it won't be for a lack of trying, believe me.

"We are determined to find a manager who would create a bit of a stir and excite people."

Sullivan wants to make an appointment as soon as possible, while Bruce's former assistant Eric Black will be caretaker manager for the game against Portsmouth on Saturday.

"We will resolve the issue of a new manager within 10 days," added Sullivan.

"Eric has taken temporary charge, and that might only be for one game. "Has he got a chance of becoming manager? Yes, he has. We will just have to wait and see what develops."

[redrus]

Bruce's Wigan move held up

From Sky Sports

No-show at JJB as Latics reveal hold-up

Steve Bruce's move to Wigan from Birmingham has been put on hold.

Wigan were hoping to unveil Bruce at a press conference on Wednesday but an issue between Birmingham and Bruce has held up the move.

Latics chief executive Brenda Spender revealed no contract has been signed by Bruce at the JJB Stadium.

More to follow..

redrus

[mrtoad]

Cash row halts Bruce's Wigan move

Steve Bruce is being prevented from becoming the new Wigan manager by a financial dispute between himself and former club Birmingham.

On Wednesday, Wigan had to postpone plans to unveil Bruce, who has left his post at Birmingham, as their new boss.

The delay has been caused by a dispute over £225,000 that Birmingham say they are owed by Bruce over image rights.

Birmingham are now refusing to sanction Bruce's move and are prepared to take legal action to stop it going through.

Wigan chief executive Brenda Spencer confirmed Bruce was scheduled to sign his contract in Wigan on Wednesday morning and that the 46-year-old former Manchester United captain was "very upset" not to be able to do so.

She insisted Bruce remained Wigan's first choice candidate to replace Chris Hutchings.

"Unfortunately something has come up. It is an issue between Birmingham and Steve and, until it is resolved, we cannot announce him as our new manager.

"Our chairman is desperate that we have a manager in place and he is hopeful that something will happen in the next 24 hours.

"I think we just have to sit tight, hold fire and hope that something will be resolved.

"We did have a list but Steve is our number one choice. We definitely want him and he wants to come to Wigan.

"He is very upset because we hoped to have him appointed today but nothing is going to happen today."

BBC Radio 5 Live's Pat Murphy said: "I understand there is an impasse over money that both parties believe they're entitled to. And the amount runs to several hundred thousand pounds.

"Karren Brady, Birmingham's managing director, prides herself on her ability to play hardball while Bruce, who is well aware of the board's hard-nosed attitude to financial negotiations, is digging his heels in, determined to extract what he feels is due to him.

"But it's not unusual to have this sort of hitch when a manager leaves to join another club and there will probably be a compromise in the next 24 hours."

The hold-up means caretaker-manager Frank Barlow remains in charge of Wigan, who are second bottom of the Premier League and travel to leaders Arsenal on Saturday.

The players had a day off on Wednesday and were expecting to have Thursday's training session led by Bruce.

Should the deal go through, Bruce is set to be handed a £15m transfer kitty as he fights to save Wigan from relegation.

Whelan has agreed £3m compensation with Birmingham.

"He will keep us out of relegation problems and all the fans will be delighted we've got him," said Whelan, who hopes Blues will allow Black to leave St Andrews to join up with Bruce, who had a brief spell in charge of Wigan in 2001.

Birmingham chairman David Gold insists he "will do everything possible" to stop Black's proposed move.

Black is in temporary charge of Blues, with his first game against Portsmouth at home on Saturday.

Source:BBC

[scousemouse]

At least an away game against Arsenal isnt his first match in charge :

Bruce free to take over at Wigan

Steve Bruce has finally been cleared to become the new manager of Wigan after resolving a financial dispute with former club Birmingham.

Blues refused to sanction the move because they wanted Bruce to repay £225,000 he had received in advance for his image rights.

Bruce and Birmingham have now agreed a compromise deal.

The deal officially ends Bruce's six-year spell at Birmingham, where he twice won promotion to the top flight.

He returns to Wigan having had a brief spell as manager there in 2001, and is expected to start his new job on Monday, with Frank Barlow remaining in caretaker charge for Wigan's trip to face leaders Arsenal on Saturday.

Bruce is set to be handed a £15m transfer kitty as he fights to save Wigan from relegation, and is keen to take Eric Black, his assistant at Birmingham, with him to the JJB Stadium.

But Blues chairman David Gold insists he "will do everything possible" to stop Black's proposed move. Black is in temporary charge at St Andrews, with his first game against Portsmouth at home on Saturday.

[scousemouse]

The jocks won't be too happy with the brummies but at least they don't want to speak to McClown :

Birmingham make move for McLeish

Birmingham will seek permission to speak to Scotland manager Alex McLeish next week, BBC Sport understands.

McLeish is in South Africa for Sunday's World Cup draw and the Scottish Football Association insists no approach has been made for him.

Birmingham have pledged to announce a successor to Steve Bruce "within the next week" following his move to Wigan.

McLeish is the bookmakers' favourite, while Marcello Lippi and Martin Jol have rejected advances from the Blues.

City released a statement, saying: "The Birmingham board has appointed just three managers in the past 14 and a half years.

"Each of those managers made improvements on their predecessor and took the club forward.

"The board will appoint a new manager within the next week and is looking forward to working with someone who can have an equally positive impact."

McLeish has only been in charge of the Scottish national side since January and has won seven of the 10 matches he has overseen.

However, Scotland narrowly lost out on a place at Euro 2008 and McLeish may find it hard to turn down the chance to return to club management.

The former Motherwell, Hibernian and Rangers boss has been busy dealing with questions about his future since last weekend's last-minute loss to Italy.

"I know football is an unpredictable business and you never know, but I certainly don't have any plans to vacate my position," McLeish said earlier this week. McLeish is under contract until 2010 and SFA chief executive Gordon Smith has intimated that a new deal may be offered in a bid to keep their man.