Hull City boss Steve Bruce insists son Alex will handle the pressure

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Monday, July 30, 2012
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Hull Daily Mail

HULL City boss Steve Bruce says he has no qualms over handing Alex Bruce a two-year deal, insisting the pressure of being the manager's son will not be too heavy a burden.

Bruce junior became the Tigers' sixth signing of the close-season over the weekend when completing a free transfer to the KC Stadium.

  1. FAMILY AFFAIR: Alex Bruce has signed a two-year deal with the Tigers, who are managed by his dad, Steve.

    FAMILY AFFAIR: Alex Bruce has signed a two-year deal with the Tigers, who are managed by his dad, Steve.

The versatile 27-year-old has spent the last three weeks training with City and has turned down several offers to team up with his father ahead of the new Championship season.

The family reunion will see the former Ipswich and Leeds defender placed under an inevitable spotlight, but Bruce senior has no doubts his new signing can cope.

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"Of course it puts a bit of pressure on him being the manager's son, but he's played in the Championship for a long time and enjoyed a good career at this level," Bruce told the Mail.

"Nepotism is the word that will always crop up, and you have to think about that, but he's at an age where he can handle it. I'm sure it won't be a problem.

"When you look at what's going around on the Bosman market, he makes a very good free transfer.

"Defensively, in terms of numbers, we're a bit thin with the injury to Liam Rosenior and Jack Hobbs out until Christmas.

"It's imperative that you have cover in the right areas and Alex can fill in anywhere along the back line."

Alex previously served under his father at Birmingham, when signed as a 20-year-old from Blackburn.

That spell together lasted just 18 months and was cut short when both father and son felt a split was in the best interests of both parties.

A three-year stay at Ipswich and a two-year stint with Leeds have since seen Bruce junior develop in the Championship and his father is confident a second spell together can be a success.

He said: "At Birmingham it was different. We were in the Premier League and he was young, it was difficult for him.

"We both decided then it would be best to go out and play every week. I couldn't give him that then, but he's gone out to Ipswich and Leeds and made a good career.

"He's 27 and he'll handle this division. He's at the peak of his career and looks in good shape. I'm sure he'll be a decent acquisition."

The arrival of Bruce, alongside fellow new signing Abdoulaye Faye, has eased headaches over defensive cover at the KC.

Jack Hobbs (knee) is unlikely to play before December, while scheduled scans on Liam Rosenior's Achilles injury were postponed from Friday until today.

Should the right-back get the green light to step up his recovery, he may yet stand an outside chance of featuring in City's season-opener against Brighton in 19 days time.

Bruce, who saw his side win 1-0 at Rochdale in their latest friendly on Saturday, will now turn his attentions to recruiting new blood for his midfield, but accepts he may need to be patient.

"A manager is never finished so I'll keep knocking on the door," he said.

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  • Profile image for merlin_

    by merlin_

    Thursday, August 02 2012, 9:44AM

    “Oh dear, its worse than I thought. Sprog Bruce not only appears overweight in the "photo" above with a real problem turning around, in fact its MUCH worse. The lad appears to have have no pace as evidenced by the revalation that the image above is in fact a VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!”

  • Profile image for costatiger

    by costatiger

    Thursday, August 02 2012, 9:39AM

    “I dont profess to be a mediator,but i see an opportunity for you two to bury the hatchet.Alan has offered the olive branch.Scarb,its up to you to take it! Concentrate on football matters.This is no place to divulge your private lives,after all,we can only take so much of the Jeremy Kyle show!”

  • Profile image for Alantf

    by Alantf

    Thursday, August 02 2012, 9:06AM

    “Scarb, I will repeat, you know very, very little of my circumstance, my families circumstance or that of my friends. I only know yours because you have used it to excuse a thread of lies which you have used to attack me, TonyM and others over a few years now. How you deal with your private life is your affair.
    I am more than ready and prepared to draw a line, as long as you stay within the truth and the facts of the matter. I once offered to buy you a coffee and turned up for the meeting, a friendly one I had hoped and expected, between two Tigers supporters. It matters not to me how many games you or anyone else attends, but you regularly use this to attack others; even though you have no facts to deal with – it's childish and irrelevant on these largely anonymous boards.
    I wish you good health, an enjoyable season and an end to this silliness. I have always stood on my own in arguing this and do not call on others as you do; nor have I ever hid behind a keyboard, regular posters would know my name and where I am from, I have met a number, but do not seek that regularly as when I come to Hull I often have better things to do pre-match than visit a pub when I have a 140mile return journey. I am also fortunate that my job allows me to make a number of away games.
    Hard circumstances and too much time on your hands can lead to some poor decisions and I accept that; I will bury this hatchet whether or not you do.

    Costatiger – strikers and goalkeepers, two sure ways of getting decent opposing opinions! I, just like Scarb, I believe that Elmo will be a good signing – but his big blight (check the boards) according to what I have seen and have been told by the locals is that he can do all the work but fails to make the killer cross. This is where, if he comes, a manager who knows him will have a plan (Agnew?!) to remedy that.”

  • Profile image for HCAFCscarb

    by HCAFCscarb

    Thursday, August 02 2012, 5:52AM

    “Actually costatiger just look at his posts on here ..

    In everyone he hurls abuse .

    But then again what's new he did the same to strummer , jack and many others .

    Typical keyboard warrior to be honest .

    Big mouth from behind his keyboard.

    Soft lad in the real world

    Now reckons I use having cancer to gain sympathy

    YET I NEVER MENTIONED IT ONE TIME
    IN THE 3YEARS WHEN ON CHEMO, IN HOSPITAL OR IN
    ST CATHERINES HOSPICE

    Yet he reckons I look for Sympathy

    What a dam nasty piece of work he is sat at his
    Keyboard.

    Never asked for sympathy or help from anyone that's me.

    To dam stubborn to ask for anything to be honest .

    I suspect the fact hid dad died from cancer so he claims
    And the fact that so far iv got into remission twice is the
    Real reason the silly fool has a stupid problem.

    It's well strange no one else has a problem with me on here,
    On hull city Not 606, or on City Independant

    Just the fool on here who has drove 3 or 4 posters off here in the last month.

    Not to worry.”

  • Profile image for costatiger

    by costatiger

    Thursday, August 02 2012, 1:46AM

    “It would be better for these forums if people could cut out the playground **** and just air their views on football.I am in no way getting involved in the ongoing feud between Scarb and Alantf which i think has gone on for some time now? I have had the odd disagreement with Alan,mostly over goalkeepers,but always read his posts and isnt that what forums are all about? The reason
    for this post is they both mentioned Elmohamady. Scarb says he will be "the icing on the cake"
    Alan says "he cant deliver the final cross".So,not surprising,they both disagree,but nothing wrong with that,its a forum.My view is, if we get the Elmohamady who first signed for Sunderland and worried premiership defenders with his pace and directness,then Scarb could be right,but if we get the Elmohamady whos crossing is erratic,is inconsistant and often gives the ball away,then Alans view could be correct.He has played a total of 85 minutes in the last seven matches he was involved in after being used as a very late sub.so obviously not very highly rated by O,Neill. Maybe Bruce feels he can get him firing on all cylinders again,in which case,he would be a major player in this division and "the icing on the cake".”

  • Profile image for JayOnly

    by JayOnly

    Wednesday, August 01 2012, 10:23PM

    “I heard andy Carol was coming for a three month trial. Jimmy Bullard's coming too.”

  • Profile image for HCAFCscarb

    by HCAFCscarb

    Wednesday, August 01 2012, 6:18PM

    “Ps

    I told my parents and my 2 brothers and my 24 year old daughter the same ' lies'
    rather then have them worry or treat me any different .

    My daughter still doesn't know the truth.

    She would have give her job up in Gateshead
    And come home but that was the last thing I
    Wanted her to do.

    Even when I had no hair I avoided telling the truth
    By saying I had my head shaved for charity and also with me having
    Shaved my head bald a few times I got away with it

    So yes I am a liar I guess

    I'm do the same again as well if I go back to ward 33
    Il make out I'm at home and life is fine.

    Of course some trusted friends like Elletiger , Jack and strummer know
    The truth ...

    Anyway on with the football...

    I wonder if the latest tweet on twitter is right r/e
    SB looking at 3 from Sunderlands squad.

    Elmohamady would be the icing on the cake IF
    We can get him..”

  • Profile image for HCAFCscarb

    by HCAFCscarb

    Wednesday, August 01 2012, 6:01PM

    “Yes I'm the kind of fibber that rather then moan on and have anyone treat me any different preferred to say I was still working then say where I actually was.

    Thing is oaktown no one seems to have a problem on here with me besides you know who.

    If you notice strummer and jack don't bother posting anymore
    Because of you know who either.

    anyway whose bothered what he thinks .”

  • Profile image for OaktownTiger

    by OaktownTiger

    Wednesday, August 01 2012, 5:30PM

    “last Mark Twain because it's appropriate and he worked as a journalist

    "if you don't read a newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read a newspaper you are misinformed"

    stop the personnal attacks it's really boring and drives people away from discussing Hull City which is why we are here !”

  • Profile image for HCAFCscarb

    by HCAFCscarb

    Wednesday, August 01 2012, 5:19PM

    “Just Alan and his usual insults .

    From behind his keyboard...

    Don't worry about it if it wasnt me he was giving it to
    It would be strummer , or Merlin , or Jack or venez ect ect”

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