Steve Bruce

[sheepyvillian]

8 hours ago, screwdriver said:

I see this as our owners board using the french lad's agent to ridicule Bruce. I bet this kid thought aston villa was a pop group and he has no idea what style of play we use. The words have been planted by the agent who probably has connections to our new co owners.

I fear for Bruce. He must park the bus at blackburn.

 

On 07/09/2018 at 20:23, sheepyvillian said:

 

How do you expect the bus to move, when he's threw half the squad under it ? You can't help but feel a sense of impending doom descending around the manager. Something is definitely " rotten in Denmark ".

[praisedmambo]

10 hours ago, screwdriver said:

I see this as our owners board using the french lad's agent to ridicule Bruce. I bet this kid thought aston villa was a pop group and he has no idea what style of play we use. The words have been planted by the agent who probably has connections to our new co owners.

I fear for Bruce. He must park the bus at blackburn.

 

2+2=90.

Edited September 13, 2018 by praisedmambo

[sharkyvilla]

3 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Is it true that Bruce will always get a years compensation no matter when he is sacked? 

I think we can give him 12 months' notice if we want to get rid of him for free.  Maybe NSWE have and explains Bruce's decision making recently.

[DaveAV1]

2 hours ago, av1 said:

It has been reported that he is on a 1yr rolling contract, if that is correct, then yes. 

 

A rolling contract always has 1yr left, so whenever he gets sacked, the remaining time left on the contract would need to be paid. In this situation, 1 year. 

That is how a "traditional" rolling contract works, but then contracts can be complex so i could be that other factors could be tailed in. 

Well he’s only been here a few months and things take time. If we work on that basis, a year is only about four months long, we can save a fortune. 

[screwdriver]

6 hours ago, rodders0223 said:

"We've got to get our boots on.

We've got to scrap.

We've got to fight.

We've got to be physically and mentally up for the challenge.

We have to roll our sleeves up.

We have to dust ourselves down.

Stand up and be counted."

"Look, we need to learn to battle with the best of them, it won't be easy, listen, the first thing people will say about a Bruce side is they know how to scrap. We've got to be at the races for sure. We hope Tammy can come in and give us some much need physicality. "

this is Bruce speak (the geordie equivalent of Ronglish) for utilizing  high press game tactics.

It's a disgrace how the prawn sandwich munching Villa fans belittle him for being a working class northerner. If Mourhinio or Wenger has used the same prose they would be lauded.

I've watched all 8 of the man city documentary. Pep is a fraud. All thats happened is he's bought the best players.

[Vive_La_Villa]

7 hours ago, rodders0223 said:

"We've got to get our boots on.

We've got to scrap.

We've got to fight.

We've got to be physically and mentally up for the challenge.

We have to roll our sleeves up.

We have to dust ourselves down.

Stand up and be counted."

"Look, we need to learn to battle with the best of them, it won't be easy, listen, the first thing people will say about a Bruce side is they know how to scrap. We've got to be at the races for sure. We hope Tammy can come in and give us some much need physicality. "

Wouldn’t actually mind if we did all of that on a consistent basis.

[DaveAV1]

34 minutes ago, screwdriver said:

this is Bruce speak (the geordie equivalent of Ronglish) for utilizing  high press game tactics.

It's a disgrace how the prawn sandwich munching Villa fans belittle him for being a working class northerner. If Mourhinio or Wenger has used the same prose they would be lauded.

I've watched all 8 of the man city documentary. Pep is a fraud. All thats happened is he's bought the best players.

Well I’ve heard us Villa fans called a lot of things, but, “prawn sandwich munching”, takes the biscuit! Obviously not a dunk in your tea buscuit, something one gets in ones weekly hamper from Fortnum and Mason. Meanwhile Brucie the northern working class hero struggles to keep a roof over his family’s heads.

Oh and by the way, Wenger was forced into retirement  and Mourinho is on his way out of Man U, so I’m not sure anyone is lauding them particularly right now. As for Pepe buying all the best players, why didn’t we think of that.........?

[Hornso]

I've always had the mantra when it comes to Villa players and staff, no matter what I thought of you beforehand, once you join the club you've got a clean slate with me and so Bruce has been afforded that opportunity. In year one he corrected our course results wise. In year two I was hoping for better football and promotion and whilst we failed both of those ultimately, we definitely had some memorable results and it was the most enjoyable season I've had as a Villa fan since a few of the MON seasons. But it ended with a bitter taste in our mouths, missing out on promotion and the clear lack of a plan B (unless throw on all your strikers counts as a plan B and not just throwing darts at a dartboard blindfolded).

This season, whilst we started well for a change results wise, some of the decision making has been, well, strange. Especially the defence, where he spent his career as a player and where you'd expect his sides to be the most consistent with him as manager...

I keep thinking about both his parents passing away in quick succession and what effect that must have on you as a person. It would definitely mess me around and would probably give cause to reevaluate your life.

Perhaps his heart isn't in it anymore? Perhaps he sees the writing on the wall with the new owners and has resigned the fact he's a dead man walking? Perhaps he's looking for that one last payout?

Whatever it is, it's time to go Steve. The sooner you move on we can start on building a plan for the future, a system and structure for the senior and youth teams and hopefully get back where we belong. Whilst you can enjoy the fruits of your 40 years of being involved in professional football, relax in a Portuguese or Spanish Villa with a golf course and a swimming pool and do whatever the **** you want and not have a care in the world. Sounds good for all parties doesn't it?

[Ponky]

Bruce's tenure at Villa is starting to look like the Trump presidency. Just when you think things couldn't possibly get any more bizarre, Brucie goes "hold my beer". 

Edited September 14, 2018 by Ponky

[A'Villan]

2 hours ago, Hornso said:

I've always had the mantra when it comes to Villa players and staff, no matter what I thought of you beforehand, once you join the club you've got a clean slate with me and so Bruce has been afforded that opportunity. In year one he corrected our course results wise. In year two I was hoping for better football and promotion and whilst we failed both of those ultimately, we definitely had some memorable results and it was the most enjoyable season I've had as a Villa fan since a few of the MON seasons. But it ended with a bitter taste in our mouths, missing out on promotion and the clear lack of a plan B (unless throw on all your strikers counts as a plan B and not just throwing darts at a dartboard blindfolded).

This season, whilst we started well for a change results wise, some of the decision making has been, well, strange. Especially the defence, where he spent his career as a player and where you'd expect his sides to be the most consistent with him as manager...

I keep thinking about both his parents passing away in quick succession and what effect that must have on you as a person. It would definitely mess me around and would probably give cause to reevaluate your life.

Perhaps his heart isn't in it anymore? Perhaps he sees the writing on the wall with the new owners and has resigned the fact he's a dead man walking? Perhaps he's looking for that one last payout?

Whatever it is, it's time to go Steve. The sooner you move on we can start on building a plan for the future, a system and structure for the senior and youth teams and hopefully get back where we belong. Whilst you can enjoy the fruits of your 40 years of being involved in professional football, relax in a Portuguese or Spanish Villa with a golf course and a swimming pool and do whatever the **** you want and not have a care in the world. Sounds good for all parties doesn't it?

Well said. A summary of events and sentiments I can align with, for sure.

Bruce has said on at least two separate occasions, and possibly a third (but that's testing my memory) that he has seriously considered giving up management.

That was before he lost both his parents.

He has always had a tendency to shift the blame to factors beyond his control whilst at Villa and that reflects a man without any burning desire to improve on what he is contributing.

He employed a very similar transfer policy whilst at Sunderland, bringing in aging experienced heads, loan deals and one or two from abroad who ended up performing to expectations. He was well bankrolled, to the point where the Sunderland board expected European placing. One season in which they finished 10th was not enough to satisfy the board and Bruce was dismissed.

His time at Hull saw both promotions feature the numbers 18 out of 24. In one season it was 18 clean sheets out of 24 victories and the other season it was 18 1-0 victories out of 24 wins (I am relying on memory but confident enough not to go double checking that). Ultimately a lack of transfer funds saw Bruce walk away from Hull.

Birmingham I don't know much about beyond the amount he spent which was huge for the time. I'm presuming it would of been the most in the championship by some distance and possibly would have rivaled most PL clubs too. I don't remember the figures but I remember being impressed and not in the slightest that he achieved promotion after that kind of spend.

He has four promotions. I guess the two at Hull might've been a commendable achievement but one of his seasons with Birmingham I'd expect nothing less.

The reason I'm mentioning history is because I feel @Hornso is spot on that compact, difficult to score against sides are what Bruce is probably most renowned for. And has always had enough quality in attack at his disposal without having to coach technical systems to his players. I still hold hopes of a promotion this season under Bruce but he is not the man to take us any further afterward. I wouldn't be opposed to a switch at this point in time either.

He said end of last season he felt Villa needed him, the reality is we need a committed manager and right now I question if Bruce is prepared to ask more of himself so that we succeed.

Or if he is happy as he is. Telling players to look at themselves. Imagine that Sheffield United performance was against Manchester City in the top flight, might've been 6-0 by half time. Wolves went on to contest and draw with City this season. My point is that we didn't execute a game plan effectively, nor could we cope with  Sheffield's. We were absolutely trounced in that game. As far as I'm concerned if Bruce thinks we were well drilled during the week to come out of that fixture with anything he needs to check himself.

[Dr_Pangloss]

5 hours ago, Ponky said:

Bruce's tenure at Villa is starting to look like the Trump presidency. Just when you think things couldn't possibly get any more bizarre, Brucie goes "hold my beer". 

More like, "hold my kebab".

[KenjiOgiwara]

10 hours ago, sharkyvilla said:

I think we can give him 12 months' notice if we want to get rid of him for free.  Maybe NSWE have and explains Bruce's decision making recently.

Not entirely impossible I guess, but why would you allow him to buy players to the degree he has? Nyland for example. Why wouldn't we just keep Steer in goal?

[tomav84]

1 hour ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

More like, "hold my kebab".

the jibes at bruces weight are becoming much more frequent and became tiresome a long time ago...oh but people get so bloody teary when he takes a swipe at fans

[AntrimBlack]

11 hours ago, sharkyvilla said:

I think we can give him 12 months' notice if we want to get rid of him for free.  Maybe NSWE have and explains Bruce's decision making recently.

If you give him 12 months notice, you still have to pay him for that 12 months.

[Junxs]

17 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said:

If you give him 12 months notice, you still have to pay him for that 12 months.

Not at the end of the 12 months though, for example sacking him in January would be a 7 month payoff rather than a 12 month payoff - hence why it would have pissed him off and explain all his bizarre decisions knowing he wont be here next season as has had his notice. (all in this scenario of course)

 

[Junxs]

Oooh, the Blackburn press conference is up on YouTube. Very interesting they disabled the chat on this video 

[Lerner's Driver]

8 minutes ago, Junxs said:

Oooh, the Blackburn press conference is up on YouTube. Very interesting they disabled the chat on this video 

No direct reference to Terry, the Villa interviewer is always so weak with his questioning, but he did say, "So, is it good to have the squad locked down now" and Bruce said 'yes'. 

[jim]

Still banging on about losing half the team and bemoaning what happened in the summer. Asking for time blah blah blah.

We had to let certain players go to balance the books.

We'll be there or thereabouts...

Edited September 14, 2018 by jim

[villaglint]

15 minutes ago, Lerner's Driver said:

No direct reference to Terry, the Villa interviewer is always so weak with his questioning, but he did say, "So, is it good to have the squad locked down now" and Bruce said 'yes'. 

He actually said "the vast majority of it is done so now we can move on and focus on what we've got" which leaves a door open!

Definitely clutching at straws made of thin air though. 

If anything was going to happen it would have happened in this break. 

[sne]

Starts off by claiming that "the wast majority" of the squad has been away on international duty.

I get it to about 10 if you count Suliman. Hardly a wast majority since our squad is 30+ senior players.

Always making himself out as a victim of circumstances by exaggerating or making stuff up.

Wast majority seem to be the phrase of the week as we also lost "the wast majority" of the team that almost got us promoted last season.

"Wast majority" of balancing the books is done.

"Wast majority" of squad if fine

Speaks about De Laet going out on loan and talks about the players he already has in the RB position, Hutton, Elmo, Bree. Fails to mention the CB Tuanzebe who he has been his choice to play there.