Leandro Bacuna - Sold

[adrenachrome]

HITC

However, Bruce hardly seems surprised by the whole affair.

“He’s overstepped the mark and done something stupid. Unfortunately that’s Leo,” the under-pressure Villa boss told the Birmingham Mail.

“With Leo it’s all about himself. He tests the manager every day, He’s always late. He’s in at 9.29am if we’re in at 9.30am. If it’s 1pm, he’s here at 12.59pm.

“Maybe it’s just his nature.”

Bacuna had started just half of Aston Villa’s Championship fixtures and, according to Bruce, would have been the first name on the team-sheet for the midweek clash with Bristol City.

Although with a potential four-match ban, not to mention a hefty internal fine, hanging over him, the versatile midfielder appears to have been shunted all the way back to square one.

[olaftab]

He is very punctual in that case😊

[Des Little]

How is someone late when they arrive before the appointed time?

[Ian.]

Either Bruce is getting very very confused with everything in life now or Bacuna is 23 hours and 59 minutes late.

[eamonn]

Maybe he means that's when he arrives but doesn't give himself enough time to tog-out and be on the training pitch for the appointed time so is late to join the other players.

[adrenachrome]

Maybe he means that's when he arrives but doesn't give himself enough time to tog-out and be on the training pitch for the appointed time so is late to join the other players.

That would be the crux of the matter, I would say.

What is interesting, to my mind anyway, is that plenty of posters were asking why the player was not being selected and if there was some kind of issue between the manager and himself, and now we know.

[Malandro]

Cock of the highest order, paid all that money and he gets to training a minute early.
The insolent toe rag was also asked to do 6km on the exercise bike this week, the lazy bastard only managed 6.5.

Fine him.

[peter w]

How is someone late when they arrive before the appointed time?

That's the time they should be stripped and ready for training, not the time that they turn up at the ground. Managers and coached are funny like that. There are always players whop do it too just unbelievably shit at being able to be there at the appointed time.

[Villa Lew]

Ex ref Dermot Gallagher, just been on Sky, saying Bacuna's 'chest pump' on the linesman, could result in him getting an increased ban. Gallagher said it would be classed as an assault on an official. No sympathy with him at all, brainless action.

[aj2k77]

Bacuna isn't and never has been dedicated to this club, we won't get anywhere with players like him in the squad. Gone in Summer please and replaced with a genuinely hardworking player who wants to do well and make a name with us.

[in exile]

The longer we are without him the better.
Can't stand the player, offers nothing and takes the piss (especially last season) in my opinion

[Nelly]

I think I read somewhere that Bacuna was played in about seven different positions last season. Also one of his biggest crimes was saying,"yes" when a reported asked if he'd ever move to a Champions League club.

I don't get the hate for Bacuna. As far as I know he's never been drunk, passed out, started a fight with club officials, partied in Dubai after a loss, tweeted silliness, etc.

He's doing okay, why not get behind him - he might even get better.

[ChicagoLion]

Agree, aj and exile, I can't stand him.

[aj2k77]

I don't see how someone can be seen as committed and defended when during a very sticky patch, to put it lightly, a player turns up for training 1 minute before training is to start, repeatedly. That in my book is deliberately pushing the boundary. It's an obvious sign that he can't be arsed being here, doing the bare minimum expected to avoid punishment and play by the book.

You wonder why tiny clubs, with players you've never heard of, can compete and on more than a few occassions play and work us off the park? Well this is one of the reasons why. They want to be at their clubs, they train hard and work and play hard. We still have players who do the bare minimum, just to get by.

If we keep the Bacunas et al around then we will stay in the Championship for a long time.

[wittonwarrior]

I think he gas given everything when selected this season. Remains the best crosser of the ball in the club. Plenty of others I would sling out first