Steve Bruce Says Former Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan Played a Key Role in His Management Career

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90 Min
Publish date:
Jul 19, 2017

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has revealed that former Wigan chairman Dave Whelan played a crucial role in his development as a manager and helped him through a tough period in his coaching career.

Bruce retired from his playing days in 1999 and moved swiftly into management, starting at his final club before retirement, Sheffield United.

Sadly, an unsuccessful spell at Bramall Lane was followed by another disappointing return at Huddersfield, where Bruce was sacked following a dispute with the club's owner who had accused the former defender of wasting £3m on players.

With his career at crossroads Bruce had a difficult decision to make having fallen out of love with football, but he told Birmingham based newspaper, the Express and Star, that what followed next in his career, played a key role in keeping him in management.

He said: “I’d taken six months off after managing Sheffield United and Huddersfield. Then came a wonderful offer from Sky, which I very nearly took.

West Bromwich Albion's English manager Steve Bruce during the English Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich in the West Midlands, England on May 9th, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Olly Greenwood. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY Additional license required for any commercial/promotional use or use on TV or internet (except identical online version of newspaper) of Premier League/Football photos. Tel DataCo +44 207 2981656. Do not alter/modify photo. (Photo credit should read OLLY GREENWOOD/AFP/Getty Images)
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“It was only going to Wigan the first time, when I initially took over for just six games, that made me think again. We got into the play-offs, lost the semi-final to Reading, but it sort of reignited me a bit.”

“It’s fair to say the first two clubs I had managed weren’t easy. There were takeovers and boardroom squabbles. I’d taken a long look at it – football management.

“It was at Wigan, with Dave Whelan and (youth development officer) John Benson, God rest his soul, who really helped me enjoy it again.

“Dave was as straight as a die. He was straight-forward and there to help you. You could just tell what he wanted to do. You could see his ambitions. He built an unbelievable stadium and gave the manager the tools to do the job.”

Bruce is now preparing his Aston Villa team to face his former side this weekend and although he speaks highly of Wigan, he admits that he will be fully focused on beating them on Saturday.