Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[paul_e]

You're not going to attract a manager like Wagner to a club which demonstrates no patience.

People on here wanting Bruce out for apparently not improving us one bit would have been saying the same if they were Huddersfield fans last season.

Our last three defeats; Huddersfield, Reading and Fulham, all in the Play Offs, all not spent huge sums, all looked unimpressive for large chunks over two games and all struggled last season. Huddersfield, who struggled the most stuck with their manager who improved them not one bit and gave him a pre-season.

Sometimes things can dramatically improve, even when you don't have millions to help you along the way.

So blind faith that Bruce can turn us into a different team to any other he's managed to put together.  I admire your optimism but I just don't get why you you're so willing to give Bruce time and over look everything he does wrong.  For some people who are solidly behind him at least they're consistent and have wanted every manager to get a couple of years but you were calling for RDM to go after 9 games and yet now you're preaching patience at everyone, that's what I don't get.

On top of that you're ignoring one important fact with Huddersfield, the results weren't there but the performances were improving (if you look into fans opinions) so most of their fans wanted to see him get a summer to get the players fit.  I know this because I looked into him on their forums when we were looking for a new manager and his name came up.  That's the exact opposite to us, for us the results have been ok but the performances have never improved, he's bought players he doesn't know how to use and he's trying to shoe-horn Gabby and Richards back into the squad because they were good 5 years ago.  I can honestly see a team next season with Samba, Richards and Gabby all heavily involved.

[andyh]

I know we came from a really, really low place in the clubs recent history and that a lot of work was/is needed to steady the ship, I get all that.
I know we needed a season of stabilisation to try and get us to look like a football club again and therefore we HAVE to give the club some leeway.
BUT, there doesn't seem to be a lot of anger around that we will finish nowhere near the top two in the division and even miles away from the top 6.

I am absolutely furious that we have to spend another season in this poxy, forgotten league.
I am furious that our style of play is reminiscent of football of bygone era, whilst the better teams in the league are playing football that is modern, progressive and preparing them for life in the big boys league.

Personally, I think we should consider that we have had our season of stability.
We have stopped the rot somewhat, and compared to last May, have some better tools in place to move us onwards and upwards.

What is needed needed now is some tinkering to put in the final touches.
This includes a couple of players to add some flair and energy (I don't know who).

The final piece is a replacement manager who can take the incredibly expensive toolkit that he has mould them into a team and force for next season.

Dean Smith, Ranieri, Rowett, Clough.
All names that have been mentioned that are not stuck  in prehistoric times and know how to play the game in the way that suits this shitty, poxy league.

[aev]

We are consistently less than the sum of our parts.

Hourihane was excellent at Barnsley, Hogan at Brentford etc.

The movement when we had the ball was once again dreadful, and the defending wasn't any better.

[olaftab]

I am all for picking a progressive manager and sticking with him to change this club. I am not for sticking with a washed out old school so called "promotion expert" who has never performed better than slightly above mediocre in the second division and is incapable  of building a cohesive footballing approach/team to put our club back on right footing. He is also a relegation "expert" in First division. He was brought in as a "jobber" to win promotion and now that he's made a mess of that there is no reason to keep him here. Patience my arse😡

[Duncan Shaw]

We are consistently less than the sum of our parts.

Hourihane was excellent at Barnsley, Hogan at Brentford etc.

The movement when we had the ball was once again dreadful, and the defending wasn't any better.

The only time we had any movement from midfield was once Hourihane briefly came on.

[curiousorange]

The one thing that stood out for me watching both Championship games yesterday is how much the game has moved on at this level. It's not brilliant by any stretch but smarter managers are rising to the top. The league Bruce is so adept at escaping from isn't what it used to be - he doesn't seem able to adapt to circumstance. Hoofball was shown up yesterday by a Fulham team who play at speed and with a little bit of imagination.

[TonyD]

Yes.  I think this league has moved on a level and is improving.  Need managers who can adapt quickly.   Sticking with Bruce is a huge gamble that he can grind enough wins out next season with his dire football.  I think there is a only a 40/60 chance of a top six finish and no chance of automatic promotion.  I hope I'm wrong.

[john e]

whether we like it or not with the size of our club and the financial resources we have available we are the Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd of this league,
 thats how everyone in the league perceives us and we ourselves bang on about the size, tradition, away support, home support etc so thats the bar we should be setting ourselves

we are 12th in the league 15 points away from even a play off place and still the excuses are rolling in, can you imagine if one of those 3 top prem teams turned in a season like we are having,
i have never in all the years supporting Villa heard so many excuses for failure than i have for Steve Bruce

he took on a impossible situation
they're not his players
they are his players but they need time to gel
he's the promotion specialist he knows what he's doing
African nations cup
Grealish got sent off
Kodja got sent off
performances dont matter only results (he's lost more than he's won)
players are all on the beach
changing managers all the time doesnt work
not enough rest time between the games
this seasons a right off its all about building for next
there's no other manager in the whole world who would come and do the job better

and so it goes on,
 someone on here suggested we were giving Bruce a free pass the other day, and it was met with some disparagement, we are not only giving him a free pass we are being made to eat his shit and pretend to enjoy it

 its blatantly obvious we are not going forward with Bruce we have wasted one season lets try and not waste another



 

[Three Spires Villa]

whether we like it or not with the size of our club and the financial resources we have available we are the Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd of this league,
 thats how everyone in the league perceives us and we ourselves bang on about the size, tradition, away support, home support etc so thats the bar we should be setting ourselves

we are 12th in the league 15 points away from even a play off place and still the excuses are rolling in, can you imagine if one of those 3 top prem teams turned in a season like we are having,
i have never in all the years supporting Villa heard so many excuses for failure than i have for Steve Bruce

he took on a impossible situation
they're not his players
they are his players but they need time to gel
he's the promotion specialist he knows what he's doing
African nations cup
Grealish got sent off
Kodja got sent off
performances dont matter only results (he's lost more than he's won)
players are all on the beach
changing managers all the time doesnt work
not enough rest time between the games
this seasons a right off its all about building for next
there's no other manager in the whole world who would come and do the job better

and so it goes on,
 someone on here suggested we were giving Bruce a free pass the other day, and it was met with some disparagement, we are not only giving him a free pass we are being made to eat his shit and pretend to enjoy it

 its blatantly obvious we are not going forward with Bruce we have wasted one season lets try and not waste another



 

Difficult to argue with any of that Sir

[tomd2103]

I know we came from a really, really low place in the clubs recent history and that a lot of work was/is needed to steady the ship, I get all that.
I know we needed a season of stabilisation to try and get us to look like a football club again and therefore we HAVE to give the club some leeway.
BUT, there doesn't seem to be a lot of anger around that we will finish nowhere near the top two in the division and even miles away from the top 6.

I am absolutely furious that we have to spend another season in this poxy, forgotten league.
I am furious that our style of play is reminiscent of football of bygone era, whilst the better teams in the league are playing football that is modern, progressive and preparing them for life in the big boys league.

Personally, I think we should consider that we have had our season of stability.
We have stopped the rot somewhat, and compared to last May, have some better tools in place to move us onwards and upwards.

What is needed needed now is some tinkering to put in the final touches.
This includes a couple of players to add some flair and energy (I don't know who).

The final piece is a replacement manager who can take the incredibly expensive toolkit that he has mould them into a team and force for next season.

Dean Smith, Ranieri, Rowett, Clough.
All names that have been mentioned that are not stuck  in prehistoric times and know how to play the game in the way that suits this shitty, poxy league.

Would you add Karanka to that list?

[Clampy]

It looked promising when Bruce first came in. He seemed to have them organised, we stopped conceding late goals and we started to get into a habit of winning which we'd forgotten how to do. The horrible spell we had in January cost us along with the poor start to the season. I'm disappointed like everyone else that we're so far off the play offs and it goes without saying things need to improve but i'd still like to see him get a pre-season under his belt to save us going through more upheaval if nothing else.

[levico]

whether we like it or not with the size of our club and the financial resources we have available we are the Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd of this league,
 thats how everyone in the league perceives us and we ourselves bang on about the size, tradition, away support, home support etc so thats the bar we should be setting ourselves

we are 12th in the league 15 points away from even a play off place and still the excuses are rolling in, can you imagine if one of those 3 top prem teams turned in a season like we are having,
i have never in all the years supporting Villa heard so many excuses for failure than i have for Steve Bruce

he took on a impossible situation
they're not his players
they are his players but they need time to gel
he's the promotion specialist he knows what he's doing
African nations cup
Grealish got sent off
Kodja got sent off
performances dont matter only results (he's lost more than he's won)
players are all on the beach
changing managers all the time doesnt work
not enough rest time between the games
this seasons a right off its all about building for next
there's no other manager in the whole world who would come and do the job better

and so it goes on,
 someone on here suggested we were giving Bruce a free pass the other day, and it was met with some disparagement, we are not only giving him a free pass we are being made to eat his shit and pretend to enjoy it

 its blatantly obvious we are not going forward with Bruce we have wasted one season lets try and not waste another



 

Most accurate post I've seen on here for a while.

I would add that the cadre of fans who support this litany of excuses will be scattered to the four winds when we lose to Blose next Sunday.

[pbavfckuwait]

I have stated on here on a number of occasion, so not just in relation to the last two results, he is not the sort of manager this club needs, he is limited but talked up within the media and part of the ever revolving old boys network, same as those muppets down the road have just put another member of the club to employment.
Thank him for steadying the ship, with one of the most pricey assembled squads in the division, give him his golden handshake and get fu.....g rid, we have not got time to waste until October, November whenever next season, because all that will be out there is more members of his and Harrys club.

[curiousorange]

One thing I would say about giving Bruce time is that although it's infinitely preferable to start the season with wins and then run away with the title, I think you can still have a very bad run in this division and still go up. If we hadn't had two of them we would probably be in the play off positions now.

I think it's a pride thing, but I desperately want us to win promotion by kicking this league's arse. That would satisfy me that we're making our way back, not that we're the best of a mediocre bunch.

[Hookeysmith]

I know we came from a really, really low place in the clubs recent history and that a lot of work was/is needed to steady the ship, I get all that.
I know we needed a season of stabilisation to try and get us to look like a football club again and therefore we HAVE to give the club some leeway.
BUT, there doesn't seem to be a lot of anger around that we will finish nowhere near the top two in the division and even miles away from the top 6.

I am absolutely furious that we have to spend another season in this poxy, forgotten league.
I am furious that our style of play is reminiscent of football of bygone era, whilst the better teams in the league are playing football that is modern, progressive and preparing them for life in the big boys league.

Personally, I think we should consider that we have had our season of stability.
We have stopped the rot somewhat, and compared to last May, have some better tools in place to move us onwards and upwards.

What is needed needed now is some tinkering to put in the final touches.
This includes a couple of players to add some flair and energy (I don't know who).

The final piece is a replacement manager who can take the incredibly expensive toolkit that he has mould them into a team and force for next season.

Dean Smith, Ranieri, Rowett, Clough.
All names that have been mentioned that are not stuck  in prehistoric times and know how to play the game in the way that suits this shitty, poxy league.

Agree with all of this

[/quote] I think it's a pride thing, but I desperately want us to win promotion by kicking this league's arse. That would satisfy me that we're making our way back, not that we're the best of a mediocre bunch. [/quote]

Next season if we are not in the top 6 after 4 games and then stay there every week he needs to go by November - Brighton and Newcastle, albeit lost silly games also, have not been out of those places all season long

After 20+ games in charge I am no wiser on his choice of formation,  choice of tactics or methodology. Almost everyone agrees that if we ever make it back then he is not the answer then I see no reason to keep him. Brighton will have like all promoted teams a togetherness and a momentum  - I cannot see anything like that with Bruce

Above all else even our winning run the football was poor at best, turgid at times and over reliant on the opposition being not very good to score when they had huge possession time (30% possession at home for fucks sake)