Steve Bruce wants his West Brom players close

The Baggies have around nine players who live over an hour-and-a-half away from the club’s Walsall training base.

And Bruce says that has to change next season with the boss having told those players to move closer or rent a second property nearby.

“I have told them all (they all have to be within an hour of the training ground),” Bruce said.

“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.

“So that’s going to be the case.”

Bruce believes having the players live closer will improve morale and also potentially prevent injuries.

“You have got to create a spirit and when you have got eight, nine, 10 travelling away – there is that aspect,” the 61-year-old continued.

“But also professional athletes shouldn’t be spending three or four hours a day in a car.

“We have addressed it. The players know my views on it.

“As a player you cannot be spending hours every day in a car.

“For professional athletes it doesn’t work, it catches up with you and probably takes a little bit of your career if I’m being honest.”

Bruce also lives roughly 90 minutes away in Cheshire.

“Managers, they are going to throw it at me and say ‘are you going to relocate?’ the boss continued.

“But it doesn’t work with us, 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.”