Express & Star

Ally Robertson: Steve Bruce can oversee West Brom squad overhaul

It's time for change at Albion.

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Steve Bruce (Photo by Malcolm Couzens - WBA/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images).

We need five or six players out. We need at least five or six players to come in.

And it's imperative those new players are strong characters because we desperately need more leaders on the park.

Our squad is in need of a major overhaul.

That overhaul is going to require a lot of work because we have a lot of players on long-term contracts.

But I trust Steve Bruce to do it and I hope he remains in charge of Albion next season.

His future is, understandably, dividing fans with the 61-year-old having won just four of the 14 games he has managed so far.

But Bruce knows what the problems are. He knows the dressing room is not right. And he knows we are no longer playing as a team.

As supporters we also know drastic changes are needed.

But it's not until you are working with the players and you are inside that dressing room that you can truly see who needs to go and who needs to stay.

Bruce has found out about these players now. He understands the only way Albion will be successful next season is if they get a few of them out the door.

And he accepts we may have to cut our losses on some of them and pay off their contracts.

I honestly think it is great that Bruce has come out and said he wants to stay and put things right.

It would be so easy for him to walk away. He could go off and enjoy a very nice retirement and not have to worry about receiving any more stick or criticism.

But he wants to get the club back on track.

And he is someone who has proven he can be very effective in the transfer market.

Bruce knows a lot of people and a lot of managers in the game. He will be aware of players in the Premier League who are going to be made available for loan.

And he has already said he wants the club to be ahead of the game when looking at players who are set to become free agents at the end of the season.

Having been in the camp over the past few months, Bruce has learnt exactly what needs to be done.

If a new manager comes in, they will likely want to give these players a chance to prove themselves.

They will probably wipe the slate clean and give them a chance to impress.

But the truth is these players aren't going to change.

They have now seen off multiple managers.

And they are the ones that have to go. We need to get rid and start afresh.