TrentVilla Posted January 8, 2019 Moderator Share Posted January 8, 2019 9 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said: I don’t blame him for the the issues regarding McCormack. I just really wish he hadn’t done the gate story at the press conference. Maybe it would have been circulated anyway, word of mouth style, but it could easily been brushed off as some apocryphal tale. I kinda get why he may have done it, making an example of him, get his back up try and prove me and everyone wrong. Perhaps something learned off Fergie. Didn’t work though and the effect it’s had is to make McCormack an even more difficult sale than he would have been. Like I say, McCormack is to blame here. But as far as I’m aware, Bruce didn’t make things any easier. That I agree with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keener window-cleaner Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 hour ago, TrentVilla said: You would be hard pushed to find a bigger critic of Bruce than me, I wanted him gone after his first season, there are so many things to be critical for during his tenure. But I don’t blame him for McCormack. Do you know what the problem or problems have been with McCormack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakotaDakota Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 must be a slow news day as the mail have even done an article about his move https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6571191/Steve-Bruce-hung-dry-Ill-prove-Im-not-bad-egg-says-Ross-McCormack.html Two years may have passed but Ross McCormack is never likely to forget. As the striker looks to restate his worth in a loan spell at Motherwell, he has accused Steve Bruce of 'hanging him out to dry' with the personal and very public castigation that signalled a sharp career decline. In January 2017, Bruce claimed McCormack had excused himself from training at Aston Villa because the electric gates at his home couldn't open. He went further by stating he would not consider the Scotland international for selection until his attitude improved. There would be no reconciliation. McCormack insists their relationship had broken down before that extraordinary press conference, but Bruce's words served to alter the wider perception of his professionalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 it should have stayed behind closed doors, it shouldn't have led to the public vilification and humiliation of a player who cost a fortune in fees and wages and was still on our books no matter how much the player deserved it. we have a horrid habit of publically bombing our own players out, players on long expensive contracts, then expecting clubs to buy them off us or pay their wages in full on loan. Ross is clearly a bell end, no doubt though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatAboutTheFinish Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 9 minutes ago, LakotaDakota said: must be a slow news day as the mail have even done an article about his move Interesting piece, wonder what his big secret is? Having said that, if Bruce was deliberately trying to change the perception of McCormack’s professionalism then it was his greatest achievement at Villa! Even when I was reading that article, I could hear myself thinking...Ross McCormack... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 (edited) Quote 'Looking back, I actually started his first game in charge so it wasn't as if he has just come in and said, "I don't fancy Ross". I'm not sure if I started again after that. 'There was something massive that happened before (the comments about the electric gates). That's what disappointed me the most because, no two ways about it, he hung me out to dry with that. 'The gate problem was real. I never said I wasn't coming in. I just said I'm running a little bit late. 'The next thing, the headlines. I think it came because Villa were 2-0 up at home to Preston and conceded two late goals. Being clever, he probably tried to shift the blame on me. Which is fine but, in the process, as I said, something big happened before. Going down that route publicly was probably not helpful.' Edited January 9, 2019 by Tomaszk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 36 minutes ago, LakotaDakota said: must be a slow news day as the mail have even done an article about his move https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6571191/Steve-Bruce-hung-dry-Ill-prove-Im-not-bad-egg-says-Ross-McCormack.html Two years may have passed but Ross McCormack is never likely to forget. As the striker looks to restate his worth in a loan spell at Motherwell, he has accused Steve Bruce of 'hanging him out to dry' with the personal and very public castigation that signalled a sharp career decline. In January 2017, Bruce claimed McCormack had excused himself from training at Aston Villa because the electric gates at his home couldn't open. He went further by stating he would not consider the Scotland international for selection until his attitude improved. There would be no reconciliation. McCormack insists their relationship had broken down before that extraordinary press conference, but Bruce's words served to alter the wider perception of his professionalism. Looks in good shape to me. BRING HIM BACK!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted January 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 9, 2019 0L1VE BR4NcH 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Ahh so Ross is the poor unfortunate victim in all of this. It's all becoming clear now and all that alcohol was a way of coping with the viscous bullying of Steve Bruce. Give him a new contract! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keener window-cleaner Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 6 hours ago, VillanousOne said: it should have stayed behind closed doors, it shouldn't have led to the public vilification and humiliation of a player who cost a fortune in fees and wages and was still on our books no matter how much the player deserved it. we have a horrid habit of publically bombing our own players out, players on long expensive contracts, then expecting clubs to buy them off us or pay their wages in full on loan. Ross is clearly a bell end, no doubt though. I have posted and wondered about this a couple of times in this thread, but still haven't understood what the problems have been. Surly it must have been more than just the gate incident, otherwise it must be up on a world top list of bad handling of a company's assets. In lack of concrete info I'll continue to speculate, he said himself in the interview something about being regarded as a bad egg and refuted that by referring to the fact that he had been captain at his previous clubs. I haven't read any articles where this has been said before, only heard rumors, but the fact that he takes it up himself must mean that he has been regarded as a one, justified or not. Normally when such allegations comes up there is something in it. So without knowing I guess he has had a bad attitude, been out of shape, perhaps drinking problems etc, that made him be regardes as a bad egg at the club. Now what I think is interesting is why it happend, how it could have been dealt with and most importantly if he should be given the opportunity to better himself. It's a fact that he separated from the mother of his kids and had problems with that. Such personal and family crisis can make anyone go nuts and start drinking. My guess is that Bruce with his old school approach and the club didn't handle this they way they could have. Of course his behaviour (based on my earlier guessing) is unacceptable. But if this is was prompted by a personal crisis, the way Bruce and the club handled it probably made it worse and if so it was irresponsible behaviour from the employer too. You don't solve a personal crisis by hanging them out to dry. It's a way of just wanting to get rid of the problem if you can't handle the situation. So that leads to the most important question, should he be given the opportunity to better himself and come back? First and foremost his personal crises must be dealt with and be over, which he should get help with. Until that happens and his behaviour improves there is just not an option of him coming back. If his crisis is over and he has bettered himself, it would for me be a question of how bad his behaviour was. It seems as if it was so bad that the club deems it to be irreconcivable. If so I think it is quite sad, both for the person and for the club. I would hope that both parties would say that they handled it badly, that they turn the page and give him another chance. If he is in the right state of mind that is. All of this is of course just speculation as I don't know the facts. Ultimately it's just such tragic waste of a player's career and the club's resources, as well as tragic for the person himself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keener window-cleaner Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 4 hours ago, villa89 said: Ahh so Ross is the poor unfortunate victim in all of this. It's all becoming clear now and all that alcohol was a way of coping with the viscous bullying of Steve Bruce. Give him a new contract! Or was it a way of coping with separation and family problems? If so, not a good but tragically a common way. Do you by the way know that he has had alcohol problems, or is it like in my previous post based on speculation and rumours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 4 hours ago, Keener window-cleaner said: I have posted and wondered about this a couple of times in this thread, but still haven't understood what the problems have been. Surly it must have been more than just the gate incident, otherwise it must be up on a world top list of bad handling of a company's assets. In lack of concrete info I'll continue to speculate, he said himself in the interview something about being regarded as a bad egg and refuted that by referring to the fact that he had been captain at his previous clubs. I haven't read any articles where this has been said before, only heard rumors, but the fact that he takes it up himself must mean that he has been regarded as a one, justified or not. Normally when such allegations comes up there is something in it. So without knowing I guess he has had a bad attitude, been out of shape, perhaps drinking problems etc, that made him be regardes as a bad egg at the club. Now what I think is interesting is why it happend, how it could have been dealt with and most importantly if he should be given the opportunity to better himself. It's a fact that he separated from the mother of his kids and had problems with that. Such personal and family crisis can make anyone go nuts and start drinking. My guess is that Bruce with his old school approach and the club didn't handle this they way they could have. Of course his behaviour (based on my earlier guessing) is unacceptable. But if this is was prompted by a personal crisis, the way Bruce and the club handled it probably made it worse and if so it was irresponsible behaviour from the employer too. You don't solve a personal crisis by hanging them out to dry. It's a way of just wanting to get rid of the problem if you can't handle the situation. So that leads to the most important question, should he be given the opportunity to better himself and come back? First and foremost his personal crises must be dealt with and be over, which he should get help with. Until that happens and his behaviour improves there is just not an option of him coming back. If his crisis is over and he has bettered himself, it would for me be a question of how bad his behaviour was. It seems as if it was so bad that the club deems it to be irreconcivable. If so I think it is quite sad, both for the person and for the club. I would hope that both parties would say that they handled it badly, that they turn the page and give him another chance. If he is in the right state of mind that is. All of this is of course just speculation as I don't know the facts. Ultimately it's just such tragic waste of a player's career and the club's resources, as well as tragic for the person himself. I find it odd that when Dean took over, there was still no way back for him even after he returned from loan. Dean has never even met or talked to him. I at least hoped there would be a clean slate, maybe Ross made it clear he wanted to go back on loan and no further consideration was needed, maybe he left a legacy so bad that Dean didn't want Ross back at the club. whatever happens it's a shame and a lot of money flushed down the drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Thank heavens we are shot of this waste of space for a while. Now he’s had his moment of publicity perhaps we will have some restful silence for the remainder of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 If you ask me, the pair of them sound as bad as each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 11 hours ago, VillanousOne said: I find it odd that when Dean took over, there was still no way back for him even after he returned from loan. Dean has never even met or talked to him. I at least hoped there would be a clean slate, maybe Ross made it clear he wanted to go back on loan and no further consideration was needed, maybe he left a legacy so bad that Dean didn't want Ross back at the club. whatever happens it's a shame and a lot of money flushed down the drain. Didnt Fulham players protest about him returning on loan. Maybe its similar plus I imagine Terry gave him an update on Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 23 hours ago, VillanousOne said: it should have stayed behind closed doors, it shouldn't have led to the public vilification and humiliation of a player who cost a fortune in fees and wages and was still on our books no matter how much the player deserved it. we have a horrid habit of publically bombing our own players out, players on long expensive contracts, then expecting clubs to buy them off us or pay their wages in full on loan. Ross is clearly a bell end, no doubt though. You say that, but if it had been kept under wraps and we'd been kept in the dark I can guarantee people would be demanding to know. I'm not saying we did things 'right' necessarily but I think it's a rock and hard place situation, damned if you do damned if you don't. Personally speaking, I'm quite glad he was publicly castigated, I see no reason to protect him, you can say that we have devalued him but in all honesty, if he has had problems then the 'football world' would know of that anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted January 10, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted January 10, 2019 37 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said: You say that, but if it had been kept under wraps and we'd been kept in the dark I can guarantee people would be demanding to know. I'm not saying we did things 'right' necessarily but I think it's a rock and hard place situation, damned if you do damned if you don't. Personally speaking, I'm quite glad he was publicly castigated, I see no reason to protect him, you can say that we have devalued him but in all honesty, if he has had problems then the 'football world' would know of that anyway. most people were supportive of bruce's handling of him at the time. if ross was blameless then he'd be in our team again...as someone else said, i'm sure JT would have given smith the full story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHV Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Zatman said: Didnt Fulham players protest about him returning on loan. Maybe its similar plus I imagine Terry gave him an update on Ross Yes they did. They told the manager they didn't want him back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 1 hour ago, tomav84 said: most people were supportive of bruce's handling of him at the time. if ross was blameless then he'd be in our team again...as someone else said, i'm sure JT would have given smith the full story Exactly, I'm struggling with why people are struggling with this. Elphick and Steer have both been recalled having previously been tossed aside, Lyden and Green also look like coming back so there is a precedent for Smith giving people a chance, provided they've not burned their bridges. It seems whatever Ross did (and I suspect it was a catalogue of events and misdemeanours for Bruce to have made it so public), he has well and truly burned those bridges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 6 hours ago, bannedfromHandV said: Exactly, I'm struggling with why people are struggling with this. Elphick and Steer have both been recalled having previously been tossed aside, Lyden and Green also look like coming back so there is a precedent for Smith giving people a chance, provided they've not burned their bridges. It seems whatever Ross did (and I suspect it was a catalogue of events and misdemeanours for Bruce to have made it so public), he has well and truly burned those bridges. you do know Bruce has left? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts