Championship news: Under-fire ex-Sunderland boss Steve Bruce on his West Brom future

Bruce departed Newcastle last October following the club’s Saudi-led takeover before returning to management with West Brom in February 2022.

Despite The Baggies sitting in the Championship play-off places when Bruce took over, an indifferent run of form saw them end the 2021-22 campaign in 10th.

The pressure has continued to build on the 61-year-old this season with West Brom sitting 21st in the Championship table with just one win from their opening 11 league matches following Saturday’s late 3-2 defeat against Swansea City.

When asked if he’s been given any assurances over his future at the club, Bruce responded: “I speak to Ron [Goulay, West Brom CEO] every day, I really don’t need reassurances.

"We all know the job and we have to get on with it. I speak to him every day as part of my job.

“He's going to be disappointed like everybody else is. My job is to focus on how can I win on Wednesday [at Preston North End], and if I can win on Wednesday how can I win on Saturday [at home to Luton Town].

"Then the football world for us anyway is a little bit of a better place.”

After 11 games, West Brom are eight points off the play-off places and 13 behind the automatic promotion places.

Bruce has been tipped to be the next second tier manager to be sacked following his side’s disappointing start but he remains ‘convinced’ he can turn things around at The Hawthorns.

“I’m still convinced that we’ll finish better than we did last season,” he added in his pre-match press conference. “I’m still convinced we’ll better tenth.”

“Going into the season, I was hoping we’ll be where we have to be. We have to be challenging, but at the minute, we’re not there. It only takes a week of results, but we have to get that. Two or three games, back-to-back wins, and you’re off and running.”

When asked if the club can reach the play-offs this season, Bruce responded: “The club's ambition will always be that with where they’ve been over the past 20 years. That’s where we’ve got to try and be.”