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Author Topic: Bruce Sacked at last (now official)  (Read 2114030 times)

Offline cheltenhamlion

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  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6180 on: September 15, 2017, 06:06:40 PM »
Article from BBC.co.uk - the ramblings of an unhinged football manager:
Quote
Under-pressure Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has responded to social media-led criticism from supporters by defending his Championship record.

Villa are 18th in the table, with seven points from seven games.

And some fans are upset by the club's inconsistent start under Bruce, Villa's seventh boss in seven years.

"I've heard I'm a dinosaur. But I've been promoted twice in the five years," Bruce told BBC WM. "If I go, who are they going to get who's any better?"

Bruce, whose side travel to Oakwell to face Barnsley on Saturday, added: "Is that the fix? Off with my head, then someone else comes in and changes everything again?

"This team came in either last Christmas or this summer and people are judging them on six months. That's not long enough."

Bruce has won promotion from this level four times in all, twice at his previous club Hull City and also, more famously, twice with Villa's local rivals Birmingham City.

But, despite his side being unbeaten in four matches, two successive goalless home draws have added extra pressure to Saturday's trip to Barnsley.

"If it's the last-chance saloon, then so be it," said Bruce. "If that's what they want. But who's creating that? Social media and radio phone-ins.

"The vast majority of Villa fans here for the Middlesbrough game the other night, and there were 29,000 of them, were still right behind myself and the players.

"They can see that progress is being made after a difficult few years for the club.

"I've been in it long enough to know realistically what happens if you don't get results, but things are bubbling along under the surface. And I totally believe we will be there and thereabouts."

Villa are weighed down by having to handle the second-biggest wage bill in the Championship, largely a bequest of Bruce's managerial predecessors.

The club are well in surplus as far as their summer trading is concerned as Bruce attempts to overturn the playing staff, while at the same time trying to handle the Villa fans' ambitions by righting a long decline with improved results on the park.

But, having already served evidence that he will give any good young players a chance, he has been hit by the loss to injury of the two of the club's brighter prospects, Jack Grealish and Andre Green.

Villa manager Steve Bruce was talking to BBC WM's Mark Regan

Public service broadcasting my arse.

Second biggest wage bill, I find that very hard to believe and  even if that were true Bruce significantly increased it by bringing Terry, Whelan and Snodgrass in this summer.

The club being well in surplus is nonsense too as it ignores the contracts handed out to the trio above. Plus Bruce's Jan import crew are surely on a lot more than what the Jan export crew were getting with their relegation wage cuts.

I would bet our current wage bill is higher than something akin to half the teams in the division above us.

Offline Damo70

  • Member
  • Posts: 30877
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6181 on: September 15, 2017, 06:12:13 PM »
Article from BBC.co.uk - the ramblings of an unhinged football manager:
Quote
Under-pressure Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has responded to social media-led criticism from supporters by defending his Championship record.

Villa are 18th in the table, with seven points from seven games.

And some fans are upset by the club's inconsistent start under Bruce, Villa's seventh boss in seven years.

"I've heard I'm a dinosaur. But I've been promoted twice in the five years," Bruce told BBC WM. "If I go, who are they going to get who's any better?"

Bruce, whose side travel to Oakwell to face Barnsley on Saturday, added: "Is that the fix? Off with my head, then someone else comes in and changes everything again?

"This team came in either last Christmas or this summer and people are judging them on six months. That's not long enough."

Bruce has won promotion from this level four times in all, twice at his previous club Hull City and also, more famously, twice with Villa's local rivals Birmingham City.

But, despite his side being unbeaten in four matches, two successive goalless home draws have added extra pressure to Saturday's trip to Barnsley.

"If it's the last-chance saloon, then so be it," said Bruce. "If that's what they want. But who's creating that? Social media and radio phone-ins.

"The vast majority of Villa fans here for the Middlesbrough game the other night, and there were 29,000 of them, were still right behind myself and the players.

"They can see that progress is being made after a difficult few years for the club.

"I've been in it long enough to know realistically what happens if you don't get results, but things are bubbling along under the surface. And I totally believe we will be there and thereabouts."

Villa are weighed down by having to handle the second-biggest wage bill in the Championship, largely a bequest of Bruce's managerial predecessors.

The club are well in surplus as far as their summer trading is concerned as Bruce attempts to overturn the playing staff, while at the same time trying to handle the Villa fans' ambitions by righting a long decline with improved results on the park.

But, having already served evidence that he will give any good young players a chance, he has been hit by the loss to injury of the two of the club's brighter prospects, Jack Grealish and Andre Green.

Villa manager Steve Bruce was talking to BBC WM's Mark Regan




"Things are bubbling along under the surface and I totally believe we will be there or thereabouts."

Not quite up there as a quote alongside "Do you want to bet against us" is it?

Offline kippaxvilla2

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  • Location: Back in Solihull
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6182 on: September 15, 2017, 06:13:45 PM »
I find this all very sad because I do like Steve for all his faults.  It's only going to end up one way when you get interviews like that though.

Offline olaftab

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  • GM : 12.06.2024
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6183 on: September 15, 2017, 06:20:22 PM »
Article from BBC.co.uk - the ramblings of an unhinged football manager:
Quote

"I've heard I'm a dinosaur. But I've been promoted twice in the five years," Bruce told BBC WM. "If I go, who are they going to get who's any better?"

A terrible comment totally insulting to the Club and fans.

"This team came in either last Christmas or this summer and people are judging them on six months. That's not long enough."

You bought the players at Christmas Bruce and that was 9 months ago not 6 ...again.

"If it's the last-chance saloon, then so be it," said Bruce. "If that's what they want. But who's creating that? Social media and radio phone-ins.

No Bruce you are responsible for that with your abject performance so far

"The vast majority of Villa fans here for the Middlesbrough game the other night, and there were 29,000 of them, were still right behind myself and the players.

Yes there were 25000 there Bruce and not 29000 and they are supporting the players despite you.

"They can see that progress is being made after a difficult few years for the club.

Sorry did you say progress? You are responsible for our lowest position in the football ranking since 1970.

"I've been in it long enough to know realistically what happens if you don't get results, but things are bubbling along under the surface. And I totally believe we will be there and thereabouts."

How the  **** is that going to happen based on your performance over 40 odd games?


Offline cheltenhamlion

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  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6184 on: September 15, 2017, 06:22:14 PM »
If he doesn't win Saturday he will have plenty of time for topping his tan up in Portugal. Like he was the other week when he should have been drilling the players that were not on international duty.

I don't even buy him being a nice bloke anymore. There is nothing honourable in blaming everyone else for your own shortcomings.

Offline ktvillan

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  • Posts: 5815
  • Location: In the land of Gazi Baba, pushing water uphill wth a fork
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6185 on: September 15, 2017, 06:24:06 PM »
"If I go, who are they going to get who's any better?"

Well Steve perhaps someone, anyone,  who can get the most expensive squad in the league up to the giddy heights of 17th after a year in charge.  Such as the 17 managers currently above you on a fraction of the budget. Or someone, anyone, who can achieve more than a point a game.  Or who can play some entertaining attacking football and score more than one fluky deflected goal in three games.  Or perhaps just someone who actually knows what  bleeding day it is and that Christmas was nearly 9 months ago (he can't conveniently discount close season as that's when he should be preparing the team and squad). Increasingly desperate. 

Offline paul_e

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  • Age: 44
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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6186 on: September 15, 2017, 06:27:24 PM »
The 29000 comment is an odd one as well, it's as if he couldn't hear the fact that the team were booed off the pitch.  Progress, from 19th to 18th!

Offline Ads

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6187 on: September 15, 2017, 06:28:42 PM »
There was 29000 odd on the gate and 1100 Boro.

Offline Damo70

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6188 on: September 15, 2017, 06:33:00 PM »
The media love Bruce. Which paints us as a load of entitled spoilt brats and whingers. Just for a change. They way we go on anyone would think we had had a couple of bad seasons.

Offline olaftab

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  • GM : 12.06.2024
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6189 on: September 15, 2017, 06:38:48 PM »
There was 29000 odd on the gate and 1100 Boro.
From AVFC siteGame details

Match: Villa v Middlesbrough
Date: September 12, 2017
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Venue: Villa Park
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Attendance: 26,631
Weather:  13c, rain

Offline ktvillan

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  • Posts: 5815
  • Location: In the land of Gazi Baba, pushing water uphill wth a fork
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6190 on: September 15, 2017, 06:41:38 PM »
The 29000 comment is an odd one as well, it's as if he couldn't hear the fact that the team were booed off the pitch.  Progress, from 19th to 18th!

And as if he can't grasp that the people on social media or on the radio complaining about him might have been among the "29,000".

Offline Clark W Griswold

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  • Posts: 4856
  • Location: Wallyworld
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6191 on: September 15, 2017, 06:43:51 PM »
I like him, I thought he was a good choice at the time, I think his overall points tally was ok last season considering how shit we'd been. I'm glad they gave him the summer and the start of the season, I think he'd earned it. So Steve, if you're reading this I'd say thanks for steadying the ship last season but all things considered 7 points from 7 games and some awful performances with the players we have is a disaster and you're on the brink. Defeat tomorrow and I think the board would be right to make a change. We should now be doing a lot better.

Offline PaulWinch again

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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6192 on: September 15, 2017, 06:47:27 PM »
The dinosaur thing is a red herring anyway. It's not about old fashioned tactics it's about having no obvious plan at all.

Offline Toronto Villa

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  • Location: Toronto, Canada
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Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6193 on: September 15, 2017, 08:22:01 PM »
The conference call was the embodiment of the phrase "Dead Man Walking". He knows it's over because in his heart he knows he doesn't have what it takes to rescue the situation.

Offline VILLA MOLE

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  • a v f c
Re: Bruce out?
« Reply #6194 on: September 15, 2017, 08:27:16 PM »
its all starting to sound a bit bitter on his part

 


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