Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[sirlordbaltimore]

I wonder what objective he will be given to fail at this next season.

With that kind of support behind him how can he fail?

The season ahead will have one proviso, especially if we start it on -12. Don't get relegated

[ChicagoLion]

I wonder what objective he will be given to fail at this next season.

With that kind of support behind him how can he fail?

The season ahead will have one proviso, especially if we start it on -12. Don't get relegated

Oh god, I hope no one says that to Bruce, hey Steve don’t get relegated.
Nah dun worry Weil be there at there abouts.

Fuck.

[mike]

I wonder what objective he will be given to fail at this next season.

With that kind of support behind him how can he fail?

The season ahead will have one proviso, especially if we start it on -12. Don't get relegated

I've gone from vehemently want him out to not giving a flying fuck for precisely this reason. Until we know whether it's a points deduction and possible relegation, or just the same shit that Blues and others have gone through for years (we've been confidently predicting they'll be in administration any time soon for at least five years) the manager is not my main concern. I don't think he is the right man in either case, but I think we need to know what's happening to see what we can afford to do, who we can attract and who will be the right person for the task.

[DB]

Give the bloke a break. Both his parents passed away within months of each other and he is on holiday. Maybe the this and stress of them being ill had impact on him managing the team, who know. He could have walked away but kept going through it all.

[SheffieldVillain]

Give the bloke a break. Both his parents passed away within months of each other and he is on holiday. Maybe the this and stress of them being ill had impact on him managing the team, who know. He could have walked away but kept going through it all.

And pocketed £3 million for doing it. He wasn't doing it as a favour.

The first part I'd have to agree with, he's very much entitled to a break. Not like there's much he can do anyway at the moment. Players are away, not going to be much in the way of incoming transfers to deal with.

[brontebilly]

It’s 2-3 years for me now to get back up.  Which I’d be more patient with if the approach was to sign players with a long term view (either improve or sell or develop into first team players) as opposed to the shit or bust policy we’ve adopted in the last two years.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but had that approach been taken 2 years ago we may have got back us this year; or got as close but going into next year much more comfortable both financially and better prepared in terms of game time afforded to our younger players (Steer, Suliman, Lyden, Green, O’Hare and RHM - ignoring those we’ve signed like Bedau and Bree)

Four of those mentioned above were injured for a lot of last season weren't they? I'd argue that there is something seriously amiss in our youth development policy, that the likes of RHM don't have at least 20 games played on loan elsewhere. Playing u23 is pointless imo, particularly for players whose development has been checked due to injury.

Bruce does, conveniently perhaps, bang on that he needed to bring in characters who could handle playing at Villa Park. But he still gave a number of younger players decent chances last season and his career has shown he is not averse to giving young players a chance, didn't he make Henderson captain at Sunderland at 19 or 20?

The last time we introduced young players en masse was under Houllier, and we were hurtling towards relegation under Gary Mac got some of the senior players back onside.

[mr underhill]

so what is the point in developing young players at all? If we don't play the best of them let them go elsewhere - to keep them tied to us without the prospect of playing is almost feudal

[brontebilly]

so what is the point in developing young players at all? If we don't play the best of them let them go elsewhere - to keep them tied to us without the prospect of playing is almost feudal

We should be getting them out on loan anyway, from about the age of 18. Did Grealish no harm so I've no idea why the likes of O'Hare couldn't have been set up with someone decent last season.

[old man villa fan]

so what is the point in developing young players at all? If we don't play the best of them let them go elsewhere - to keep them tied to us without the prospect of playing is almost feudal

We should be getting them out on loan anyway, from about the age of 18. Did Grealish no harm so I've no idea why the likes of O'Hare couldn't have been set up with someone decent last season.

There is a big difference when you are in the PL to being in the Championship. The step up for a young player to PL is massive, so loaning out is the way for getting experience. Championship level is a lot closer to the level you would be loaning out to.

We do not have to fill the bench with experienced players and this is the best way to bring young players in.

[Clampy]

so what is the point in developing young players at all? If we don't play the best of them let them go elsewhere - to keep them tied to us without the prospect of playing is almost feudal

We should be getting them out on loan anyway, from about the age of 18. Did Grealish no harm so I've no idea why the likes of O'Hare couldn't have been set up with someone decent last season.

There is a big difference when you are in the PL to being in the Championship. The step up for a young player to PL is massive, so loaning out is the way for getting experience. Championship level is a lot closer to the level you would be loaning out to.

We do not have to fill the bench with experienced players and this is the best way to bring young players in.

I still think it does young players good to go and get a taste of first team football in a different environment.

[DB]

Give the bloke a break. Both his parents passed away within months of each other and he is on holiday. Maybe the this and stress of them being ill had impact on him managing the team, who know. He could have walked away but kept going through it all.

And pocketed £3 million for doing it. He wasn't doing it as a favour.

The first part I'd have to agree with, he's very much entitled to a break. Not like there's much he can do anyway at the moment. Players are away, not going to be much in the way of incoming transfers to deal with.

Not just about money. Trying to do ypur day job when both parents are ill then pass away....

[andyh]

Give the bloke a break. Both his parents passed away within months of each other and he is on holiday. Maybe the this and stress of them being ill had impact on him managing the team, who know. He could have walked away but kept going through it all.

And pocketed £3 million for doing it. He wasn't doing it as a favour.

The first part I'd have to agree with, he's very much entitled to a break. Not like there's much he can do anyway at the moment. Players are away, not going to be much in the way of incoming transfers to deal with.

Not just about money. Trying to do ypur day job when both parents are ill then pass away....

Without wanting to appear completely heartless. Big fucking deal.
I have 2 points to make about this ‘parent’ stufff.

1. People with deal with bad shit every day in their lives.there is nothing special about Bruce’s circumstances. I am sure there are many people on here who have their own stories to tell.
2. He has never used it as an excuse for failure, so why the fuck are others making it for him?

[Clampy]

Give the bloke a break. Both his parents passed away within months of each other and he is on holiday. Maybe the this and stress of them being ill had impact on him managing the team, who know. He could have walked away but kept going through it all.

And pocketed £3 million for doing it. He wasn't doing it as a favour.

The first part I'd have to agree with, he's very much entitled to a break. Not like there's much he can do anyway at the moment. Players are away, not going to be much in the way of incoming transfers to deal with.

Not just about money. Trying to do ypur day job when both parents are ill then pass away....

Without wanting to appear completely heartless. Big fucking deal.
I have 2 points to make about this ‘parent’ stufff.

1. People with deal with bad shit every day in their lives.there is nothing special about Bruce’s circumstances. I am sure there are many people on here who have their own stories to tell.
2. He has never used it as an excuse for failure, so why the fuck are others making it for him?

Most people are not in the public eye when they go through rough times and those that are can turn off twitter, ask for their privacy to be respected and take a break. A football manager or player can't. It's not an excuse for not getting us up, but i'd imagine losing two parents in a short space of time is a big fucking deal.

[Clampy]

Give the bloke a break. Both his parents passed away within months of each other and he is on holiday. Maybe the this and stress of them being ill had impact on him managing the team, who know. He could have walked away but kept going through it all.

And pocketed £3 million for doing it. He wasn't doing it as a favour.

The first part I'd have to agree with, he's very much entitled to a break. Not like there's much he can do anyway at the moment. Players are away, not going to be much in the way of incoming transfers to deal with.

Not just about money. Trying to do ypur day job when both parents are ill then pass away....

Without wanting to appear completely heartless. Big fucking deal.
I have 2 points to make about this ‘parent’ stufff.

1. People with deal with bad shit every day in their lives.there is nothing special about Bruce’s circumstances. I am sure there are many people on here who have their own stories to tell.
2. He has never used it as an excuse for failure, so why the fuck are others making it for him?

Oh and Andy, one more thing. There's a section on this forum called 'Holte Enders in The Sky' where people post about lost loved ones or as you put it 'parent stuff'. Go on there and type 'big fucking deal' and see how far it gets you, I dare you.

[ChicagoLion]

I don’t think there has been a time when Bruce looked up to the challenge, we hit second place for a few days, that was it.