Why Steve Bruce might just be a genius…
By: Wayne Farry | September 28th, 2008
Now calm down every one of my (probably) thousands of readers, the title might make you think that I’m going to discuss why I think Brucey is a great manager, but I’m not going to do that. Here and now, I’m going to give reasons for why I think everyone’s favourite drag queen is one of the best talent-spotting managers around.
Yes, you will say that Arsene Wenger has a far keener eye for players, but please, just listen.
Brucey is usually not mentioned when people speak about the best managers around, and rightly so. He’s an okay manager, but not great. He can however spot diamonds in the rough better than the best in the diamond spotting business.
This dude has brought over the relative-unknowns Mauro Zarate, Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia and Amr Zaki to the EPL and they have flourished. These are players who have come over with very little pressure put upon them by transfer fees and have set the EPL alight. Today alone Valencia, Zaki and Palacios played instrumental roles in Wigan’s win over Abu Dhabi FC. Zarate too has been fantastic since joining Lazio in Serie A.
Bruce is a manager not content with scouting in the obvious places such as South America, France and Africa. He signed one of his best players from Honduran club Olimpia, not the most obvious place to look. Amr Zaki, while only having played 6 games for Wigan, has scored 5 goals. In today’s match he terrorized Micah Richards and Richard Dunne more than most strikers ever could. He is also my tip to be the EPL Top Goalscorer (you heard it here first). Thanks to his keen eye and need to buy players for low fees he has handed the EPL some very good players.
So, is Steve Bruce a genius? God no, but he sure knows a good player when he sees one.
By the way, I’m Wayne. I’m one of the new bloggers here for the EPL Offside. I should have mentioned that. Anyway, good to be here and I hope ye like my rambling blogs in the future.
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Comments
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w00t wilson!
Posted from
United States
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“relative unknowns”!!! Zarate was a joint top scorer for Boca Juniors in the 2006 Apertura and an international; Valencia played for Villareal and Recreativo de Huelva as well as being an international, and Zaki was a key goalscorer for the Egyptian national team in both the 2006 and 2008 African Nations Cup. He had an unsuccessful move to Lokomotiv Moscow before he returned to the top Egyptian club Zamalek.
How 3 internationals playing for top teams in leagues of other countries count as “relative unknowns” is beyond me. The only one who approaches this categorisation in Palacios – ironically he was recommended by Wenger to Birmingham, after he had a trial period at Arsenal.
Your theory sounds nice on paper, but can’t stand up to close scrutiny of the evidence.
Posted from
United States -
I think you’ll find it was Alex McLeish who brought Zarate to the Premiership, you anal
Posted from
Ireland -
Ya and Paddy over at the Deportivo Blog tipped up Zaki to be top scorer like ages ago. In fact Im going now to visit that superior blog right now.
Posted from
Ireland -
@Lasynative: You’re right that 3 of these players weren’t exactly unknowns, that was a poor choice of words on my part, but I was trying to point out Bruce’s balls to actually take some fairly unproven players at this standard (you can’t deny that) and bring them to the EPL, with great results. Whether or not these players were known is somewhat irrelevant, the fact is that Bruce took a chance on them – something other managers who may have seen them didn’t do – and it’s paid dividends.
Posted from
United States -
Welcome to my world Wayne! Good to have you here.
As for Bruce, I think he’s a genius from last season. Birmingham 13th, fairly safe, Wigan 19th, certs to go down, he leaves the former for the latter, saves Wigan and sends Birmingham down without him.
Genius.
Posted from
United States -
Cheers Rob, it’s good to be here. And you’re right about Brucey’s genius in terms of that decision, couldn’t have worked out better really!
Posted from
United States -
Yeah sorry didn’t meant to sound like I was having a go at you; just I don’t think you can even mention Bruce in the same breath as Wenger in this regard that guy picked out people from nowhere – Toure from some Ivorian club, Clichy from a league 2 French side and Weah from god knows where!!!
I would disagree still about Zarate and Zaki being “unproven” at the top levels; you don’t win the Apertura with Boca and end up being the joint top scorer and merit the tag of not being able to perform at top flight football imo. And Zaki was tipped to be snapped up by a Euroepan club after the last ANC performance he put in so that wasn’t exactly a surprise either.
but I agree Brucie has done a great job in getting the best out these players and Zaki would be an excellent value bet for top goalscorer!
Posted from
United States -
No worries mate, there were certain things I could have phrased better to be honest. And I don’t want everyone agreeing with me anyway, you know? Wanna bit of discussion.
But just on the point of Wenger, he is a step above the rest but I think Bruce needed a mention as he never gets the praise he deserves.
Posted from
United States -
I like it Wayne. I think Bruce is putting together a nice side and I am benefiting from a fantasy prem perspective with Zaki and Figueroa. I think Wigan used to play a direct, long ball, boring style, but they have a bit more creativity now (though Cattermole and Brown are NOT creative in the center of the pitch!) cheers!
Ibracadabra.Posted from
United States -
antonio valencia was brought in by Paul Jewel, not Steve Bruce. Jewel took him on loan 2 seasons ago and extended it before Bruce made the loan deal permanent
Posted from
Malaysia
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