The time is now!
Sunderland have sacked the Italian and Brucey is on the case.
Bruce believes Paolo Di Canio paid the price for an outdated management style.
Di Canio's controversial reign proved a brief one as he parted company with the club after only 14 matches, his exit coming little more than 24 hours after a 3-0 defeat at West Brom left them rooted to the bottom of the table with one point from five games.
It is believed the Italian's strict regime, unpopular with his players, was key to his departure.
Steve Bruce: "You cannot manage in the Premier League these days through a fear factor.
"You've got to be able to manage individuals.
"Man management has become more relevant in my experience than coaching.
"Once you get yourself in the Premier League, they're all good players and you've got to find a way of getting the best out of them.
"It's never been my style to criticise anyone in public and I'm disappointed for Paolo. He's a character.
"A manager's lost his job. Management is a lonely place and he's lost his job this morning. I feel sorry for any manager in that position. I've gone through it and it's not nice.
"When I first went there with Niall, everything we did was run through Niall and (Short) was a bit stepped back.
"Since he has become chairman he seems much more hands on now. I'm not privy to too much but when I was there all I did was answer to Niall."
Sunderland recruited 14 new players during the summer transfer window, several for the first-team squad but others for the development ranks, but the new-look group is yet to gel.
Just as important as those who arrived were those who left.
Having already lost loan signing Danny Rose following his return to Tottenham, they sold goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to Liverpool and, on deadline day, Stephane Sessegnon to West Brom. It meant they had lost arguably three of their most effective players.