Hull boss Bruce to savour FA Cup final appearance
Recent managerial exits have made Steve Bruce even more determined to savour Hull City's FA Cup final appearance on Saturday.
Premier League clubs West Brom and Tottenham parted company with Pepe Mel and Tim Sherwood respectively this week, with each man in charge for less than six months.
Bruce's position appears very much secure given his impressive performance in leading Hull to the top flight and securing survival in addition to an FA Cup final clash against Arsenal.
Yet the 53-year-old admits recent goings-on elsewhere have disappointed him.
"We all know that it's so difficult nowadays. I'm always sad to see a manager go. And it's happening too regularly now," said Bruce when asked about Sherwood's dismissal.
"I never thought I would see the day but it's now becoming like it is in Europe and it is in South America - we're probably worse now.
"I've been in management for 15 years now and two or three people have lost their jobs in the last 48 hours, so you've got to try and enjoy the good times. I'm going to enjoy the occasion (on Saturday)."
A visit to Wembley represents a particularly special occasion for Hull, who have never previously contested an FA Cup final.
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Although Arsenal are clear favourites to prevail, Bruce, who won the competition on three occasions during his playing career with Manchester United, takes heart from his former club Wigan Athletic shocking Manchester City in last year's showpiece.
He added: "It's a fantastic occasion for everybody and particularly the football club itself. It's a wonderful achievement to get there and let's hope on the day, it's our day.
"We must be rank outsiders, of course, (but) I think it's the actual beauty of the FA Cup. Last year, Man City were huge favourites and Wigan have come up and won the thing.
"That's why, for me, it's been the greatest competition there has been. There's always been shocks in it. It's a one-off game.
"It's a classic FA Cup (final) - one of the big teams against one of the smaller teams, and for me it brings back a little bit of the glamour, what Wigan did last year.
"We're never going to win the Premier League, but we've got a chance to win six games in the FA Cup. We've won five of them, can we now add the sixth to it? It would be terrific."