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Steve Bruce


Demitri_C

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Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere but kind of ironic really!

Quote
DROP THE MIC, JT 

Steve Bruce urges John Terry to be a boss not a pundit – after ex-England colleagues Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen duck dug-out for sofa

Aston Villa chief is delighted skipper is angling more towards being a manager than a talking head when he stops playing

By Brendan McLoughlin
28th December 2017, 10:29 pm
Updated: 29th December 2017, 12:38 am

STEVE BRUCE has urged John Terry to snub the trend among top players for picking microphones over management.

Aston Villa skipper Terry, 37, is eyeing life as a boss when he finally hangs up his boots.

Many of his former England team-mates, such as Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen, have chosen the comfort of the TV studio over the demands of the dugout.

Even fellow ‘golden generation’ member Gary Neville is back on our television screens after a failed stint as boss of Valencia.

But Bruce is pleased Terry is looking to  management.

Villa veteran John Terry has stepped in on Sky Sports while injured8

He said: “Without question John is going to have a crack at it — and rightly so.

“Steven Gerrard has gone down that path too, which is great to see.

"Too many of the top, top players have gone down the media path.”

Terry, 37, arrived at Aston Villa from Chelsea on a free transfer last summer after two trophy-laden decades at ­Stamford Bridge.

The former England skipper — dubbed ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’ by Blues fans — has been sidelined since breaking a metatarsal in November.

But, despite being in new  surroundings, he has remained an integral figure behind the scenes while on the recovery trail.

And Bruce has lifted the lid on the full extent of Terry’s desire to play his part — even if it means an early alarm call for other members of staff.

He said: “There’s a story that really sums him up.

“He had the physio in at 6am the week before last so he could do his rehab work in time to get on the bus with the players before they went off to play.

“His influence around the place is enormous.

“It’s the standards he sets and the way he is in himself.

“The way he conducts himself, looks after himself, what he demands. He has everyone on toast!

“It’s the first time the staff are getting Christmas presents from Harvey Nicks — it used to be ­Woolworth’s!

“You can see why, at 37, he still has something to offer.”

That is precisely the point the manager has made to Terry as far as his playing career is concerned. 

He played every minute of Villa’s opening 16 Championship games until injury struck.

And while Bruce believes a ­promising path lies ahead for the next chapter of his career, he is eager for him to remain focused on the present.

He continued: “The one thing  I said to him — and he was on the same page — was you are a long time retired.

“So devote yourself to playing and if I can help you with  anything at all on the coaching side, then I will try.”

Bruce knows all about the options which will inevitably come Terry’s way as he approaches a career crossroads.

Having won the Premier League and FA Cup FIVE times apiece — as well as a Champions League winners’ medal — he can expect no shortage of suitors to become the latest big-name  television pundit.

Bruce himself landed three Premier League and FA Cups apiece as well as the  European Cup Winners’ Cup and Super Cup with Manchester United.

He would rather  see England’s ‘golden generation’ swapping their microphones for management.

But he can see the appeal, having almost been tempted to the other side of the fence in 2001.

Bruce went into management instead. And FOUR Championship promotions later (two apiece with Hull and  Birmingham), he has no regrets.

Bruce added: “I can understand it. I myself was very close to signing a deal at Sky.It was either them or go to Wigan in the second division.

“I thought management wasn’t for me after my first two jobs (at Sheffield United and Huddersfield).

“But I decided to have one more crack.

“John Benson (the general manager) and Dave Whelan (the owner) showed me what it was like to be  the manager.

“That set me on my path, but I was very close to signing a deal with Sky and giving football management a miss.

“Could I have been their Gary  Neville or Jamie Carragher? I don’t know! But I’m glad I did it.

“It’s a tough gig but very  enjoyable — apart from a Saturday afternoon!”

So has Bruce utilised Terry’s experience  with any of Villa’s youth teams?

“Not yet,” he said. “But we have had a meeting. Five or six of them have started their B Licence so we have gone to the FA to see if they can do their B Licence coaching here. I think that’s the next step.

“In terms of coaching, I think that is coming next at the turn of the year.

“But we need to get his foot ready first though.”

Whether that right foot is ready ­following Terry’s return to full training this week is certain to be one of the burning questions Bruce will be asking today.

If there is one player Villa look in need of right now, then it is the man the club’s social media team cheekily refer to as ‘Captain, Leader, Villan’.

Five games without a win have seen the Midlanders slip out of the play-off places.

Villa conceded  just four goals in Terry’s last ten Championship games.

But since his injury, they have shipped 11 in nine matches.

And things are not likely to get any easier with a trip to the North East tomorrow  to a Middlesbrough side buoyed by the arrival of new manager Tony Pulis.

Bruce said Villa have “got to be patient” with Terry and recent  forecasts point towards a return against Peterborough in the FA Cup third round next week.

But Bruce needs a good result to shut up the dissenting voices which are starting to be heard around Villa Park once again.

Unlike Terry’s early wake-up calls, those alarm bells are not so welcome.

 

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Cracked me up the bit where Bruce says:

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“It’s the first time the staff are getting Christmas presents from Harvey Nicks — it used to be ­Woolworth’s!"

Looks like his jokes are as up to date as his style of management  -which obviously also died the same time as Woolworth's!

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4 hours ago, Heretic said:

We've spent more in the Championship than Brentford have in their history.

If we adjusted budgets to compare, we'd probably be a League Two side given how poor the decisions have been. We've bought our way out of major trouble.

That isn't to say Dean Smith isn't the right man, but too many on here compare the clubs and don't factor the budgets.

Given our financial muscle compared to others, the club's performance is frankly embarrassing. Other clubs' fans would skip for joy at the prospect of spending like we have. We're a giant club in this division and way behind Bristol City.

£5m to many clubs in this division is a massive sum. It's Burton's turnover. Look at the players we've got costing that (or would cost that if we hadn't got them close to contract expiry, e.g. Hourihane).

Again, maybe Dean Smith isn't the guy. But comparatively, he's doing a much better job than Steve Bruce - as are many managers in this division.

There is one thing having the money, there is another thing being able to spend it(FFP) there is an even more important thing, in spending it wisely....those that have been responsible, should be put up against the wall and ...Oh I'm doing a Gregory now.

How many duffers have we bought over the last 10 years.....many have had to be fully amortised because, no one wants them.....and as our reputation has grown for poor buys.....its gradually getting worse.....we can sell very few for a retail price.

Vertout now blames himself more or less, for his poor time at Villa.....Sasa Curcic was a wanted man at Bolton and played like a pussy for Brian Little....we could all go on about the damp squibs.

This is nothing new.....just that its landed us where we are....because there has been too many.....all clubs have examples of bad buys, its common, but when you have more wrong than you get right, you land where we are.

I listen to all the rhetoric.....and some maybe right.....but this isn't something new.

However, I think we need some honest answers from the club.

 

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2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Was it Gabby? A fit Gabby 10 years younger would be the best striker in the league. Maybe he missed the age part out.

Well I'm not so sure about this- Gabby in my view has always been extremely limited in football terms - and without question benefited from playing with the likes of Carew, Barry, Young and such like pulling strings for him - clearly his pace alone would have caused issues for some teams - however there is no point in beating the last man and then scuffing it wide of the post or hitting the keeper - Gabby was never/ nor will be a prolific goal scorer and even if he goes to League 1 would still only manage 10-12 per season pushing it - he just does not have that goal scoring prowess in my humble view.

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53 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Cracked me up the bit where Bruce says:

Looks like his jokes are as up to date as his style of management  -which obviously also died the same time as Woolworth's!

The thing is if we had won the last 6......he would be the second coming of Micky Flanagan.

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19 minutes ago, TRO said:

No, No, No.....Bruce does not need a win at middlesbrough to shut up those dissenting voices.

He needs a win to get this show back on the road.

Those dissenting voices are an inevitable repsonse to **** football and a bloody sloppy execution of it.

I wish I could like this post 1000 times

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6 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Get onto the Facebook pages and prepare to have your mind blown then.

Everything from

"The fans don't support the team and it gets them nervous and causes them to under perform, you only have yourselves to blame, support the **** team"

"We are luck y to have Bruce as Manager, we would probably be going down again without him"

to "He is doing a brilliant job with no money to spend" to

"I feel for Bruce, the players just are not good enough"

"We are only X points off 2nd" to

"We are in the playoffs " to

" We are only x points off the playoffs"

and now my personal inevitable favorite "We are not ready to go up anyway, we need a rebuild over 3 - 5 years and Bruce can bring that stability to take us where we need to be in time"

W...T...F.

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15 minutes ago, Dave J said:

Well I'm not so sure about this- Gabby in my view has always been extremely limited in football terms - and without question benefited from playing with the likes of Carew, Barry, Young and such like pulling strings for him - clearly his pace alone would have caused issues for some teams - however there is no point in beating the last man and then scuffing it wide of the post or hitting the keeper - Gabby was never/ nor will be a prolific goal scorer and even if he goes to League 1 would still only manage 10-12 per season pushing it - he just does not have that goal scoring prowess in my humble view.

To be a top goalscorer.....you have to know where to run and where to position yourself....its a thinking mans position.

straight lines are not what you would call thinking.

ah well, thats all gone now......on to the next 10 years with the next imposter.....build them a fancy house in four oaks, for a couple of goals per year.

good ole Villa

 

 

Edited by TRO
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27 minutes ago, Villan_of_oz said:

I wish I could like this post 1000 times

I'll ask the administrators if they can arrange it:D....knowing my luck, more likely to get a warning:(

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7 hours ago, hippo said:

performances or results ? 

2 defeats in the next 2 and he's a goner in my book. Needs to win one of those - personally I think Bristol City is a very winnable game. 

The same Bristol City who recently beat Man United and are 2nd in the league and the semi final of the league cup??

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2 hours ago, TRO said:

No, No, No.....Bruce does not need a win at middlesbrough to shut up those dissenting voices.

He needs a win to get this show back on the road.

Those dissenting voices are an inevitable repsonse to **** football and a bloody sloppy execution of it.

I'm surprised at your stance TRO.

Then again you have always tried to be as reasonable as possible whilst leaning on the fence.

Fair dues.

What i've said to alot of people is that they would realise almost all of us, if our timelines are tracked, are varied.

Some were totally against the appointment no matter what, some were against it but warmed up to it eventually, some warmed and cooled. Personally I warmed to it very early, then wrote off last season to be willing to give it a chance and have faith, and turned after about 4 games of this season.

Obviously when we go on winning runs tensions dampen but shite performances and results always come back to solidify certain peoples observations.

Edited by JAMAICAN-VILLAN
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