Bruce concerned by lack of Brits

Wigan boss Steve Bruce fears homegrown Premier League managers could soon become a thing of the past.

Bruce plays host to ex-Manchester United team-mate and current Sunderland manager Roy Keane on Saturday and is pleased to be facing his former Old Trafford colleague.

Englishmen Kevin Keegan and Alan Curbishley resigned at Newcastle and West Ham, respectively, last week and Bruce is concerned that it is becoming increasingly difficult for managers from Britain and Ireland to secure jobs in the top flight.

Gianfranco Zola became the fifth foreign manager in the Premier League when he was appointed as Curbishley's successor on Thursday and Bruce sees a growing trend.

Encourage

"It greatly concerns me that over the past couple of weeks we've lost two big personalities and big managers in Kevin Keegan and Alan Curbishley," he said.

"They've both graced the Premier League over the last 15 years, they're both English and both good managers, and we've lost them unfortunately.

"If we don't encourage people like Roy Keane to go into management then I'm scared where we might get to because if we're not careful, we won't have any British or Irish managers any more.

"I wish Gianfranco Zola the best of luck, he was a smashing player and a smashing lad, but would us British or Irish coaches get a job in Italy, France or Germany? I doubt it somehow."

Gamble

And Bruce has urged more clubs to take a gamble on managers from lower divisions after pointing to the examples of, another former Untied team-mate, Paul Ince at Blackburn and Everton boss David Moyes.

"A few years ago you'd learn your trade in the lower divisions and then try to progress, but that stopped," Bruce added.

"Paul Ince broke that mould, though. I think the last one to do that was probably David Moyes going from Preston to Everton, and look at the job he's done.

"What incentive are we giving the young ones looking at managing in the Premier League when chairmen are constantly giving the opportunity to foreign coaches?

"I don't mind that but that's not the way to encourage the best young British managers, and we've produced some great ones over the years."

 

Source - Sky Sports