Steve Bruce

[Lerner's Driver]

2 hours ago, Dave J said:

...with SB in charge I can't help feeling the wheels might come off at any point - fingers crossed this won't happen - I just have this nagging doubt

Let's be honest, that feeling is not one particularly attributable to Aston Villa under Steve Bruce, rather it is:

(a) A distinct possibility for almost every club, given the fragile nature of player confidence/team form and the potential impact of those factors on a club's direction of travel/status

and... 

(b) You expressing the understandable 'Villa are going f*** it up again' mentality - it's entirely forgivable, but also something that impairs our judgment of the circumstances surrounding our club, I would say.

If I am right, then I'd have to say your feeling doesn't provide enough persuasive evidence to get rid of Steve Bruce.

[Dr_Pangloss]

1 hour ago, striker said:

Bruce’s remit was to get Villa promoted last season but apparently found the club to be in far more of a mess than he expected. Xia moved the goalposts of that expectation to allow Bruce more time to get the club right (continuity) and despite FFP restrictions backed the manager wages wise to bring in quality players to achieve promotion this season.

I therefore do not believe Xia would be as understanding if Villa fail to achieve promotion again and in my opinion nor should he because all the excuses of needing preseasons and continuity will have been used up.

 

No promotion would be a total failure and it would be very hard to make the case for Bruce staying. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

41 minutes ago, TRO said:

I am not sure, why you think that the swashbuckling style of  Dean Smith that many fans drool over, can't be judged against a dour uncompromising team that Neil Warnock presides over......who just have the know how to win games.

I would not necessarily change Steve Bruce for Neil Warnock, due to their similarities.

Dean smith has done a fine job, with limited resources, some managers do no better,when they get it......his teams are not rounded enough for me.

 

Because I do not think Cardiff are a dour uncompromising team. Whenever I’ve watched them I’ve seen a desire and fight which is so often missing from our game. I also think they have some decent players and are not just cloggers as people seem to believe.  

As it stands they are the 2nd best team in the league so for a mid table team, losing at home to them is no disgrace.

[Stevo985]

I think the future of the manager should be determined by just that, the future.

If we don't go up this season, but the board and Xia think that Bruce will get us promoted next season, then he should stay.

He shouldn't be sacked purely for not meeting his target this season IF they believe he will achieve the target next season. That's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

Managers shouldn't just be rewarded/punished for what they've done. It should be for what they are going to do.

 

(and before I get jumped on, I would have this opinion in the total opposite situation too. As in if we do get promoted, but the board don't think Bruce can keep us up next season, then he should be sacked. He shouldn't be rewarded with another year if he's not up to it)

Edited March 15, 2018 by Stevo985

[Mark Albrighton]

I think they’ll stick with Bruce if we’re still in the championship next season. 

[Tumblerseven]

I believe he can promote us but other than that i have no faith in him. Personaly me if we go up i want us to search for a new manager and jus fire bruce instantly. Yah it wont look good but i better have manager with vision who uses tactics and builds team around it.  Bruce relies only on players individual ability and im not a fan of it.

Edited March 15, 2018 by Tumblerseven

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

19 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

I think the future of the manager should be determined by just that, the future.

If we don't go up this season, but the board and Xia think that Bruce will get us promoted next season, then he should stay.

He shouldn't be sacked purely for not meeting his target this season IF they believe he will achieve the target next season. That's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

Managers shouldn't just be rewarded/punished for what they've done. It should be for what they are going to do.

 

(and before I get jumped on, I would have this opinion in the total opposite situation too. As in if we do get promoted, but the board don't think Bruce can keep us up next season, then he should be sacked. He shouldn't be rewarded with another year if he's not up to it)

 

So Steve Bruce should be rewarded for maybe getting us up next season, after failing to get us up this for the past 2 seasons, with what  will more than likely be a weaker squad as everything has been thrown at it for the past couple of seasons.

If he can't get us up, or consistent with this very expensively assembled squad, what would magically change and make banking our future on Steve Bruce a sensible option?

Sorry but we would be better off getting a long term, talented young coach at that point to nurture the young talent and develop whatever the "Villa Engine" is.

Edited March 15, 2018 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Stevo985]

Just now, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

 

So Steve Bruce should be rewarded for maybe getting us up next season, after failing to get us up this for the past 2 seasons, with what  will more than likely be a weaker squad as everything has been thrown at it for the past couple of seasons.

If he can't get us up, or consistent with this very expensively assembled squad, what would magically change and make banking our future on Steve Bruce a sensible option?

I have no idea how you got to that conclusion. 

 

18 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

I think the future of the manager should be determined by just that, the future.

If we don't go up this season, but the board and Xia think that Bruce will get us promoted next season, then he should stay.

 

I wasn't giving my opinion.

My opinion is that he should probably be sacked. But I wouldn't be sacking him purely because he failed this season, I'd be sacking him because I don't believe he could succeed next season under harder circumstances.

hence my point. My decision would be based on how I thought he would perform in the future. 

[VillanousOne]

Next season if we fail to go up he won't have the money for big wages on Prem player loans, he won't be able to spank 12 mil on a striker, he won't be able to bomb out players he doesn't like (even if they deserve it). He won't be able to offer new contracts to experienced players.

Ultimately we might need a full season of just undoing the FFP mess before we could make another attempt at promotion.

Or find a cunning way to funnel Xia's money into the club under the radar of FFP, Man City, Chelsea and Wolves are the masters so lets employ one of their 'creative accountants'. FFP is only there 'to make it seem like clubs do the right thing' the people who run the leagues only care about their profits they don't give a flying shite how they get those profits.

[Dodgyknees]

2 hours ago, blandy said:

That's all fair enough, Mark, and kind of a different thing, really. Bruce was clear on that footy focus thing that he'd be potted if we didn't go up this season (the interview was last season). Maybe we'll go up and this will all be by the by, or maybe we'll come close and stay in this league. If that happens then there's a big decision for Dr X and KW to make (as well as Bruce, himself, I guess). We'll see.

Speaking on the BBC's Football Focus programme, he said: "We're the fifth most successful club in this country. "I've waited 20 years for an opportunity like this. It is a genuine big club I've got to try and get this club up. "I'm under no illusions and if I don't it's 'off with my head', it's as simple as that, 'off with my big fat head'.

 

Thank god the fans didn’t read that and then question things when he says otherwise when he gets things wrong.

One game away from a crisis?

We’re judging you on your own comments Bruce.

[markavfc40]

It doesn't take much for the tide of this thread to change does it. Had we have won on Tuesday it would have continued as it had done, since the Sheff Wednesday result, and been pretty euphoric. Now due to Tuesdays result/performance the managers future is being questioned.

I dare say there will be a few twists and turns yet this season and our position will change from 3rd to 4th to 2nd on a number of occasions.

For what it is worth I think regardless of what division we are in Steve Bruce will be manager next season but it is probably just as likely that we go up and he is replaced as it is that we stay down and we keep him on. For now though, given how much there is still to play for, we'd probably be best served simply focusing on the here and now and getting through this season before predicting what may happen next season in terms of the manager.

[Dodgyknees]

13 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

It doesn't take much for the tide of this thread to change does it. Had we have won on Tuesday it would have continued as it had done, since the Sheff Wednesday result, and been pretty euphoric. Now due to Tuesdays result/performance the managers future is being questioned.

I dare say there will be a few twists and turns yet this season and our position will change from 3rd to 4th to 2nd on a number of occasions.

For what it is worth I think regardless of what division we are in Steve Bruce will be manager next season but it is probably just as likely that we go up and he is replaced as it is that we stay down and we keep him on. For now though, given how much there is still to play for, we'd probably be best served simply focusing on the here and now and getting through this season before predicting what may happen next season in terms of the manager.

To be fair, it’s a good question to ask - about his future. Bruce himself has admitted to it. We just lost a game and thus, should be quite ready to pick things apart. Players, managers and chairman should be praised and criticised - as and when it is right to.

[Dodgyknees]

Bruce has worked wonders this year, but it will be the errors of judgement which stop us going up - those are the results which he will be held accountable to, because those are the results which stop us achievIng our aims.

[AntrimBlack]

31 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

It doesn't take much for the tide of this thread to change does it. Had we have won on Tuesday it would have continued as it had done, since the Sheff Wednesday result, and been pretty euphoric. Now due to Tuesdays result/performance the managers future is being questioned.

I dare say there will be a few twists and turns yet this season and our position will change from 3rd to 4th to 2nd on a number of occasions.

For what it is worth I think regardless of what division we are in Steve Bruce will be manager next season but it is probably just as likely that we go up and he is replaced as it is that we stay down and we keep him on. For now though, given how much there is still to play for, we'd probably be best served simply focusing on the here and now and getting through this season before predicting what may happen next season in terms of the manager.

Of course. Why would you expect otherwise.

We were brilliant against the League Leaders, followed by abysmal against a mid table club, thereby missing a major opportunity, and raising the justifiable doubts that have prevailed too often over Bruce's tenure.

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Because I do not think Cardiff are a dour uncompromising team. Whenever I’ve watched them I’ve seen a desire and fight which is so often missing from our game. I also think they have some decent players and are not just cloggers as people seem to believe.  

As it stands they are the 2nd best team in the league so for a mid table team, losing at home to them is no disgrace.

Fair comment, my description was a bit hasty, based more on Neil warnock, than his team.

I actually agree more, with your description.....dour no, uncompromising maybe.

so i guess your final paragraph, doesn't say much about us.......3rd placed team at home being outplayed by a 15th placed team.

I didn't think we had it in us to play that bad.....but we can't change it, only not go there again.

Edited March 15, 2018 by TRO

[TRO]

45 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said:

Of course. Why would you expect otherwise.

We were brilliant against the League Leaders, followed by abysmal against a mid table club, thereby missing a major opportunity, and raising the justifiable doubts that have prevailed too often over Bruce's tenure.

I guess you could give him an improved contract or sack him based on the last 2 games.

You cannot judge a managers job acurately based on an individual game.....a managers job is more based on a trend or fair period of time.

with the improvement Steve Bruce has managed his job is safe, he won't be anywhere close to being happy with Tuesday night.

you can talk about the manager.....but JT with all his accolades managed to muster a diabolical attempt to deny a "wet behind the ears" midfielder to score.

it happens, its shouldn't, but its football and the unpredictable face of it.

Edited March 15, 2018 by TRO

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Shropshire Lad said:

I think they’ll stick with Bruce if we’re still in the championship next season. 

Me too.....and he will build an even stronger team.

[Eastie]

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Because I do not think Cardiff are a dour uncompromising team. Whenever I’ve watched them I’ve seen a desire and fight which is so often missing from our game. I also think they have some decent players and are not just cloggers as people seem to believe.  

As it stands they are the 2nd best team in the league so for a mid table team, losing at home to them is no disgrace.

Cloggers you say

[Eastie]

5 minutes ago, TRO said:

Me too.....and he will build an even stronger team.

Not sure he will build a stronger team - his hands will be tied and the squad will be weaker.

[Mark Albrighton]

11 minutes ago, TRO said:

Me too.....and he will build an even stronger team.

I’m less sure of that. I hope you’re right though. I really wouldn’t mind one more season down here (I obviously hope we not in this division though).

Edited March 15, 2018 by Shropshire Lad