striker

When you know someone has to sell something due to being in financial straights you don’t ever offer the going rate because you know they need money. The club is currently being run by morons and I include Bruce in that for the content of his interview.

As I said before it's a no lose situation for Bruce now. Start badly the excuses are there. Struggle throughout the season at the lower end of the table the excuses are there. Villa surprise most and hover around top ten. Heralded as a miracle worker and enhances reputation ten fold. He can't lose by staying. He isn't stupid.

Is he injured mate? If so didn't know that. Hourihane in the 10 role then if Bruce continues to play the same way?

O'Hare will be a decent replacement with Hourihane filling in whenever O'Hare needs resting. Really sad to see Jack go though. Just loved the way he caresses his passes and I'll miss that but I hope Villa get a decent fee to make sure there won't be too many more sales.

Love the home shirt so will be buying that one. It's a pity though that Tony won't be able to afford either the home or away shirt.?

Didn't do that last season though imo so I'm not sure if he is able to change his style of play?

Not even a transplant.

Unless Villa are prepared to let him go on a free I can’t see anyone coming in for him due to being so problematic.

I'm not a Steve Bruce fan on the football side of things and probably never will be but he is not responsible for the financial mess the club is currently in. That lies squarely on the shoulders of the owner. I also feel with the exception of Hogan he built a squad on very reasonable outlay that should have been promoted. The fact that his squad wasn't promoted should have resulted in Bruce being sacked but due to the current financial constraints at the club he is going to be retained unless he walks which I feel is highly unlikely. Why? Well, in the current situation he can't lose can he. With a depleted squad which is going to be heavily reliant upon younger players coming through keeping Villa in what is going to be a very average league this coming season will be seen by many as an achievement. Very little expectation of anything else (not including my opinion In that) seems to be the general view of the fan base so Bruce will be under very little pressure and will be lorded by many as doing a decent job again keeping a massive club in the Championship with the obvious excuses ready if things do go to pot. Not a bad job at all for him at the moment.

Just something that has been bothering me all through this. How could Lerner sell to Xia? Surely to goodness due diligence was explored yet nothing was discovered? Lerner and whoever was employed to look into Xia's business background should take a very large portion of blame for selling to him.

Fair enough but I wasn't referring to further massive investment. I feel as stated before with the right balance of integrating the younger players coming through and the experienced players left at the club there is still enough there to mount a challenge for sixth in the Championship. It could also be argued that the teams you mentioned were promoted with inferior squads to Villa and as you say lesser wage bill so why can't Villa do the same? Too many doom and gloom merchants on here at the moment which I fear goes beyond realism.

Still feel Aston Villa is a great opportunity for Bruce to enhance his reputation if the approach is right for the new season. If Warnock can get bang average Cardiff automatic promotion then Bruce should still be able to get Villa into sixth and playoffs again.

Good one mate. ?

Despite the financial mess the club seem to be in, there isn’t any chance in hell that Villa will be relegated next season if Bruce is in charge. Under him Villa will still be organised and won’t concede too many. Even with Grealish and Chester sold plus the return of the loanees there is still enough in the present squad with good young players coming through to sustain mid table Championship status. Personally, with much lower expectations, I still feel Villa will surprise a few next season and with a bit of luck may squeeze into the playoffs whether new owners are in place or not?

If the rumours are correct concerning Xia then even if Villa had achieved promotion I do not think the investment in players would have been there to sustain Villa in the Premiership.

He or any other manager may have no choice which is no bad thing in my book.

If Villa can’t afford to sack Bruce then can they still afford his wages?

Not previously no but Jedinak hasn't exactly been without injury problems either. I suppose I should have added more explanation to my post but you do know that the club have financial problems and due to those problems it would be absolute madness to retain an ageing player one season older on extortionate wages who also suffers from injuries on a regular basis. No I haven't seen Lyden play a lot and only in cameo appearances but for all of the above reasons already mentioned I really feel its time for the Villa to move on and start building for the future. Last point I wish to make is that with players like Jedinak, Whelan and Terry in the team, Villa failed to achieve promotion.

Villa need to get rid of him in the summer alongside Whelan and start building for the future of the club. I’d be promoting Lyden to 1st choice DM when fit.

If this is true concerning Spurs rumour I will be very sad to see him go. Sadder still if it’s for 20m which is at least 5m-10m short of the going rate. I’d be asking for 25m up front plus add ons taking the deal to 30m and who knows the club may already be doing that? I just wonder who is doing the negotiations on Villa’s behalf?

If Villa are going to rely on Elphick next season then the club is really up the shitter.

Not sure on that Demitri. Really depends on whether club have secured the investment they need. If and when that happens you might see a bit of movement then? As it is at the moment nothing coming out of Villa Park and anything else is pure speculation at the moment. I honestly feel considering your last point yes lower expectations will help but only if the younger players are brought through. If that happens Villa might surprise a few next season including Villa fans.

Pretty much where I am on this apart from bringing him back to Villa. Villa need to move on from seeking previous players way past their best unless it’s in a non playing role. Great opportunity to promote the U23s and build for the future rather than keep going back to the tried and failed policy of buying players in the twilight of their careers.

Fair points but you could display a multitude of team sheets yet play in a different way on the pitch. I also don't think anyone has said that Bruce set the team up to lose away from home. What they are saying is the team on many occasions last season were set up with the onus on not losing which handed the initiative to what was on paper inferior opposition. That was quite evident throughout the season and with the most expensively assembled squad the Championship has seen.

Good point which just about answers all of those who think it was solely down to the players for that 1st half performance in the play of final. That performance had been repeated a multitude of times during the season. If the rumours are correct and Xia wanted Bruce out then if Xia remains owner I cannot see Bruce being the manager at the start of next season. Could all be bull of course?