Steve Bruce brings in coaching reinforcements at Aston Villa to bolster promotion chances

Aston Villa won’t have a great deal of dosh to spend in the coming winter transfer window, but will look at every way of improving their team - including manners and means that aren’t always obvious.

For instance, an improvement in the backroom staff setup isn’t to be sniffed at and that’s exactly what Steve Bruce is planning before a big set of games - with his partner in crime, Steve Agnew, set to join up with the team at Aston Villa.

The Times and The Gazette are running with stories that pretty much confirm that another face will be joining the team at Bodymoor Heath. Agnew helped Bruce guide Hull to success before leaving to join Middlesbrough as assistant to Aitor Karanka. After Karanka was sacked, Agnew was then made manager of Middlesbrough, but was de-assigned following their relegation to the Championship and the hiring of Garry Monk.

This is good news for Villa though, as it means Steve Bruce has bought someone he has had genuine success with on the Villa ship - ideally bound for promotion. There’s nothing wrong with a manager working with a good number two - look at how well Alex Ferguson deployed his assistants, and of course Nigel Pearson, with Craig Shakespeare at Leicester!

There are plenty of questions though, what does this mean for Colin Calderwood, Villa’s current Assistant Manager? Also - what will this move actually do for us? We’ll have to wait and find out.