November 2 2001

Simon Jordan

Simon Jordan said Steve Bruce is still the Crystal Palace manager, but will not be in charge of the team for the Walsall game tomorrow.

Assistants Steve Kember and Terry Bullivant will take care of team affairs while Bruce is widely reported to have taken the Birmingham job. Bruce was not at the club's training ground in Beckenham today.

Jordan said: "Steve Kember and Terry Bullivant took training and they will be in charge of the team at Walsall.

"Steve Bruce is still the manager of Crystal Palace football club. Birmingham City have not and will never receive permission to speak to him."

The players confronted Bruce in the dressing room after the win over Bradford on October 16. Clinton Morrison said then: "He told us he was going nowhere so you can only take the man on his word."

Bruce has had no contact with the team since the defeat by West Brom on Wednesday night.