Birmingham Mail

This morning the Bues boss got his normal grilling by Her Majesty's Local Press (motto: every question a tough question) at Wast Hills.

Carson Yeung's takeover, his denial of a new contract for Bruce, Bolton's interest, Steve McManaman, the worry for the club in the future if there is a change in ownership . . . the lines of inquiry kept on coming.

Bruce has always maintained that he doesn't want to leave Blues but obviously he needs clarification from Yeung about where he stands.

He said that he has been in the hot seat for coming up to six years now, following on from two years as a player, and Blues had really got under his skin.

So much so that he then started to wage war on the builders and handymen who have carried out some sprucing up of the training HQ.

There's a small footpath that slopes down to the interview room where Bruce holds his pre-match press conferences.

Since the last gathering, some railings had gone up. They had not been so much secured as plonked in the ground, and there was cement debris strewn to one side.

Not only that but they had been painted a sickly light blue, the sort of colour you used to associate with those old outdoor swimming pools of days gone by.

"Seen the state of those railings?" asked Bruce, breaking off from his original train of thought. "They've left me in a state or rage.

"Who put then up and did that? It's bugging me . . . "

In his domain at the training ground, Bruce wants things done right. He wants the club to project the right image and be professional.

His aside was a little thing, maybe, but it told you a lot about him and where his heart lies.