Steve Bruce

[slovenian]

why is he still here?!

[Guest av1]

4 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said:

If that’s the case, it makes more sense to let him go now as there’s six  days until the Bristol game. Between the Bristol game and the Preston game there’s four days.

I agree mate, the sooner the better. 

The board may agree with that aswell, i guess we'll find out in the next 48hrs, my point was more regarding the turning of the fans. We can only speculate what the board may be thinking, what is set in stone however is that once the fans have gone, the board will have no choice. 

 

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

What an odd and largely vacuous post match interview. So, let’s think about this, he’s expecting criticism from fans. He understands the need to ‘batten down the hatches’ in the face of fan criticism. And, at a club like Villa, he expects to be criticised by fans. He’s disappointed by the performance of the players and by the lack of movement from the players. 

 

When does he take some of the responsibility for the dire performances we have seen all **** season? 

 

His interviews betray betray a man who doesn’t want to be here anymore - other than to say ‘I told you I could do it’ to players and fans who are against him. He’s not passionate about the club. Arguably, his pre and post match interviews of late have seen him distance himself from the dressing room and the stands. 

 

And then there’s the lack of ideas. Move the ball quicker. What does that even mean when players aren’t encourage to run into space? You could see the players trying to zip the ball around in the final third of today’s match but they clearly get a bollocking when they stray too far out of position. To their credit, Wednesday exploited this and got around the full backs at every opportunity. 

 

So where does this leave us? The owners won’t remove him now because that sets a precedent that a villa manager loses one home match and gets the chop. The media won’t and don’t see the garbage football that he trawls out each week. So we’re stuck with him for a bit. He’ll pull some results out but, game by game, week by week, the players are having their confidence bashed by this cretin - both in his 8nterviews and in his inability to set them up correctly. 

 

And if if he says that our points tally is comparable to this stage last season again I will **** scream: we have played far better teams a year ago. 

 

 

[Johnnyp]

Any intelligent supporters like to wade in on their opinion of Bruce. Wouldn't want to be biased now. Seriously though, let McDonald and Delaney take the game next Friday night and even the Preston game. Have the new man in at the next Int break.

[dukes]

If the article on the Mail website (which references a Times article) is true (and it would appear that we are going to lose too much over the 3 season spent in the championship). Then our situation is a real catch 22. We can’t afford not to sack him if we want to go up, but then again maybe we can’t afford to sack him for a  financial view unless we go up (£3M to sack him, plus whatever Calderwood and Clemence would be owed, plus whatever the next guy would earn).

I can’t see us going up with Bruce in charge, so we need to get rid, and bring someone in who can work with this team (and hope that Purslow can bring in some major sponsorship....I think the ground will absolutely be sponsored before the end of the season).

Mail article : 

”Aston Villa could face a points deduction next season if they are found in breach of financial rules.

According to a report in The Times, Villa could be docked 12 Championship points next season. 

It comes as rivals Birmingham City prepare to face a disciplinary panel on charges of breaking the EFL's profit and sustainability rules.

The Times claims Villa are also set to face chares for breaking the spending cap.

"Villa have posted an aggregate loss of £37.1 million during their two seasons in the second tier, giving them very little room to comply with rules that permit losses of £39 million over a three-year period before submitting their next results to the EFL in March," states the report in The Times.

The reduction in Villa's parachute payments this season from £33 million to £15 million and transfer proceeds smaller than last summer could also hinder Villa's cause.

If the breach is more than £15 million over three years then under new EFL guidelines Villa could face a 12 point deduction in the 2019-20 season.”

 

 

[TRO]

6 hours ago, terrytini said:

@markavfc40 I’m not frothing at the mouth...( I know you didn’t specify me !).... and am ambivalent as to whether he goes results wise....past caring to be honest he’s never going to change, the debate is never going to change.

Hell be gone when they get their own man anyway.

Im aware of Managers and their utterings.

I think this is different. He is basically either lying or deluded in his statements about selection, and is clearly having trouble emotionally.

If they don’t call a halt I’m sure it will end very messily.

Just how I see it.

As for ‘new player integration’ I think it’s hogwash. And if he DID want any understanding on that score some consistency of selection would’ve helped.

Am already at ground looking forward to the football element !

You really knew what you was writing, didn't you.

it was putrid.

[terrytini]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

When? All I could hear were the fans singing that stupid Steve Bruce song. We left a couple of minutes before the final whistle so maybe at the end?

Indeed.

Two very hearty choruses by, Id say about 30-40% of those still there ( which is a larger % than usually sing).

The important thing to bear in mind is that those who were really really dissatisfied had already gone.....it’d have been far worse if not.

[markavfc40]

I gotta be honest I admire Bruce. Having lost a parent myself the way he conducted himself last season whilst losing two parents warrants respect. Despite not knowing him I also think he is probably a decent bloke. None of that really matters though does it. I think despite trying to convince myself otherwise he is not the man to take us out of this division even though he has been given more than enough resources to do so.

For stabilising the ship I thank him. It is clear though he has taken us as far as he can and someone can do far better with what is one of the best squads in this league. I wish him well but he has to go. 

[slovenian]

1 minute ago, markavfc40 said:

I gotta be honest I admire Bruce. Having lost a parent myself the way he conducted himself last season whilst losing two parents warrants respect. Despite not knowing him I also think he is probably a decent bloke. None of that really matters though does it. I think despite trying to convince myself otherwise he is not the man to take us out of this division even though he has been given more than enough resources to do so.

For stabilising the ship I thank him. It is clear though he has taken us as far as he can and someone can do far better with what is one of the best squads in this league. I wish him well but he has to go. 

I'd admire him even more if he resigned.

[villa89]

1 minute ago, markavfc40 said:

 Despite not knowing him I also think he is probably a decent bloke. 

According to reports and people in the know he is a decent bloke. He sure doesn't come across that way in interviews though. With his refusal to accept responsibility, constant sniping at "unintelligent" fans and aggression towards any form of personal criticism. 

[Junxs]

1 hour ago, AndyM3000 said:

Id love to see a behind the scenes documentary at Villa like they have done at Man City. You'd probably mistake it for a James Corden comedy sketch.

You can get it on DVD already, it's called "Mike Bassett: England Manager"

*They had to change Steve Bruces name for legal purposes

[markavfc40]

8 minutes ago, villa89 said:

According to reports and people in the know he is a decent bloke. He sure doesn't come across that way in interviews though. With his refusal to accept responsibility, constant sniping at "unintelligent" fans and aggression towards any form of personal criticism. 

I don't think any of that really matters either way does it. Bottom line is two years from his arrival results and performances aren't good enough despite being given the resources to assemble one of the best squads in the league. For that reason he has to go. Anything else we want to have a pop at him for is just a side show.

Edited September 22, 2018 by markavfc40

[romavillan]

29 minutes ago, dukes said:

If the article on the Mail website (which references a Times article) is true (and it would appear that we are going to lose too much over the 3 season spent in the championship). Then our situation is a real catch 22. We can’t afford not to sack him if we want to go up, but then again maybe we can’t afford to sack him for a  financial view unless we go up (£3M to sack him, plus whatever Calderwood and Clemence would be owed, plus whatever the next guy would earn).

I can’t see us going up with Bruce in charge, so we need to get rid, and bring someone in who can work with this team (and hope that Purslow can bring in some major sponsorship....I think the ground will absolutely be sponsored before the end of the season).

Mail article : 

”Aston Villa could face a points deduction next season if they are found in breach of financial rules.

According to a report in The Times, Villa could be docked 12 Championship points next season. 

It comes as rivals Birmingham City prepare to face a disciplinary panel on charges of breaking the EFL's profit and sustainability rules.

The Times claims Villa are also set to face chares for breaking the spending cap.

"Villa have posted an aggregate loss of £37.1 million during their two seasons in the second tier, giving them very little room to comply with rules that permit losses of £39 million over a three-year period before submitting their next results to the EFL in March," states the report in The Times.

The reduction in Villa's parachute payments this season from £33 million to £15 million and transfer proceeds smaller than last summer could also hinder Villa's cause.

If the breach is more than £15 million over three years then under new EFL guidelines Villa could face a 12 point deduction in the 2019-20 season.”

 

 

Cross that bridge when we come to it ay, as it stands with the squad we have a talented manager might squeeze 12 points more out of a season than Bruce could anyway. It's a big handicap but I'd back us for playoffs at least if we can improve on Bruce.

We could also still do something THIS season if we bite the bullet now.

[dukes]

7 minutes ago, romavillan said:

Cross that bridge when we come to it ay, as it stands with the squad we have a talented manager might squeeze 12 points more out of a season than Bruce could anyway. It's a big handicap but I'd back us for playoffs at least if we can improve on Bruce.

We could also still do something THIS season if we bite the bullet now.

Totally agree.

[Stratvillan]

i watched cloughs last interview as forest manager just after they were relegated. He was asked the question why did you get relegated he said "we weren't good enough" , he was asked the question "what about the manager?" He said, "he wasn't good enough either". This was from a man who had scaled the heights and was struggling with alcoholism , still had more humility than Bruce. 

[TrentVilla]

12 hours ago, villarocker said:

Hey Trent, my son is 5 next week and I'm planning on taking him to his first game soon. Please let me know what your son thinks of it and what you think you could have done differently to maybe help him enjoy it more, if he seems bored. I'm thinking maybe a tablet with Blaze and the Monster Machines, Go Jetters, Paw Patrol on it etc just in case the game fails to deliver the required entertainment levels .

What does my son think? He thinks Steve Bruce is a clearing in the woods.

Actually he enjoyed it, which is remarkable he was probably the only Villa fan that did. It was his 4th game but first at VP so it was already a bit of a known quantity.

My advice would be;

* Get there early, take him to the club shop and spoil him, first impressions count and you want him to remember the day. He won’t remembet the game! (Thankfully) And it’s as much about your memories as his.

* Park closet to the ground than you normally would regardless of the traffic after

* Take lots of snacks! 

* Don’t take a tablet! Use the snacks as distraction, you don’t want to get into the tablet at games thing. I know people who have and it doesn’t work, my lad watches the game now but it’s taken a little time. Better start as you want to go on.

* Take lots of pictures it will be over in a flash

Most importantly enjoy - regardless of the football/result. It’s special taking you lad for the first time.

[Eastie]

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

The club should sack him and then start the search. 

Edit: Agnew can manage in the mean time.

I’d hope they already have a new man lined up and that Bruce and his coaching team all go together - I don’t want Agnew here for even one game - thinks situation has been coming and I’m  sure the owners and purslow would have a good idea who will replace Bruce and very swiftly too 

[DaveAV1]

14 minutes ago, romavillan said:

Cross that bridge when we come to it ay, as it stands with the squad we have a talented manager might squeeze 12 points more out of a season than Bruce could anyway. It's a big handicap but I'd back us for playoffs at least if we can improve on Bruce.

We could also still do something THIS season if we bite the bullet now.

The point is the article says “could be deducted 12 points”. Journalists always go for extremes as it sells papers. Wait until they actually try to hit us with something draconian and then see what our big and very expensive lawyers have to say. 

[villa89]

34 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

It's special taking your lad for the first time.

He'll be throwing his season ticket at the dugout before you know it. They grow up fast. 

Edited September 22, 2018 by villa89

[ferguson1]

1 win in 8.   I don't think it's too arrogant to expect more from a club and team of our size and stature.  It's a piss poor league this year and am surprised that we're only 5 points behind the leaders.  I said earlier, I don't dislike the manager and can see why he started the season with us, but enough is enough now.  I don't expect him to resign, so we must act now and salvage our promotion hopes.  Who, I'm not sure?   Thanks for your contribution Steve, now move aside and let someone take us forward.