Steve Bruce has named a World Cup winner and a talkSPORT pundit among the top three players he has managed.
The former Birmingham and Newcastle boss has been out of work since leaving his post as West Brom manager in October 2022, and joined talkSPORT to reflect on his so far 24-year managerial career.
Bruce admits he still has unfinished business in football management and hopes to find his way back into the game sooner rather than later.
During an appearance on talkSPORT Breakfast on Tuesday, the 63-year-old was asked who his top three players were that he had managed during his career, and his answers were emphatic.
“I had the privilege of signing Christophe Dugarry when I was at Birmingham,” Bruce explained. “He was a World Cup winner and a little bit flamboyant. He had 55 caps for France and for six months was arguably the best player I’ve had the privilege to manage.
“He did things single-handedly to keep Birmingham in the Premier League, he was terrific.”
Next on the list was a Tyneside fan favourite now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League that Bruce believes is an incredible talent.
“[Allan] Saint-Maximin at Newcastle, wow what a talent this kid had,” he continued. “All of a sudden, I’m watching somebody here thinking there’s not many people that can do what he can do.
“A little bit off the charts in how he was but I’d never really seen an individual talent like it, so Saint-Maximin has to be up there.
Last but not least, Bruce reserved a special place for one member of the talkSPORT family and a former Champions League finalist.
“Then there’s the rascal, Jermaine Pennant,” Bruce joked. He was in the nick when I signed him but he came and did really well for Birmingham.
“I enjoyed managing him and obviously the stuff that goes around with him but in terms of his football ability, he got a big move to Liverpool.
“I remember him playing in the European Cup final where Liverpool got beat [by AC Milan] but he was man of the match.”
Bruce has managed 12 clubs since launching his managerial career in 1998 when Sheffield United handed him his first opportunity.
He achieved promotion to the Premier League three times with Birmingham in 2002 and Hull in 2013 and 2016. He led the Tigers to the FA Cup final in 2014, but were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Arsenal.
News Summary:
- World Cup winner, mercurial winger and talkSPORT pundit among best players Steve Bruce has ever managed
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.