Steve Bruce has re-issued his warning to West Bromwich Albion players that he wants them to cut down on the commuting next season.
But he has defended his own decision to travel in from Cheshire. The Baggies will be in the Championship next season after failing to qualify for the end-of-season play-offs. It has been a disappointing campaign following relegation from the Premier League, with Bruce drafted in to replace Valerien Ismael in February.
His appointment has failed to provide the necessary spark however, and the four-times promotion winner is already turning his attentions to next season - starting with a demand for all players to be within a sensible radius of the training ground.
Bruce said: “I have told them all (they all have to be within an hour of the training ground). Where we are going to finish in the league is not good enough. I have put forward what I would like to do next year – that is a rebuild of the squad. And the players that are here – along with the ones we bring in – have got to commit.
“We have too many people travelling and that cannot be good for you. That is not good for you as a professional. I’ve pointed that out. And going forward that is the way we will look at it. They have been positive towards that change. I think they understand my feelings on it."
It follows comments made by Bruce earlier this month where he said goalkeeper David Button, whose family home is down on the South coast, needed to move closer if he is to get a fresh deal.
Bruce said: "He (Button) won't live in Brighton anymore if he wants new (contract) talks. It's something we have to address. I don't think travelling more than an hour can be good for you. We have got eight or nine who travel and I don't think that's healthy so we'll try and address it. If they have to find an apartment locally and have two homes so be it. They get paid enough."
Bruce also moved to clarify why he will not be relocating, despite insisting his players do.
He added: “(People) are going to throw it at me and say: ‘Are you going to relocate?' But it doesn’t work with us (managers), when we sign a contract we usually get sacked. For the players it’s difficult. You can have an apartment around the area. But you have to be here the majority of the week.”
Albion's last outing saw them held to a goalless stalemate by Midlands rivals Coventry City - a result which ended the slim play-off hopes for both sides. Andy Carroll's future at West Brom is one of the major issues for Bruce to address in the summer. Speaking on the striker's future, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season, Bruce said: "We have got to look at that situation.
"He (Carroll) has not done himself any harm. He has done well since he has been here and it's great to see him fit. I've always said, when fit, Andy Carroll is a threat. I think it’s important in the next week or so that we sit down and make those big decisions which are never easy. We’ll see what develops."
