Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[OzVilla]

Yeah thats right because theres absolutely nothing to be outraged about right now is there.  Because every things rosy in the garden, lovely jubbly, quite spiffing in fact, they've all done very well.

[boozey182]

Exactly this. Bruce is damned whatever he says or does.

Not sure thats the case tbh. Firstly, some humility in accepting a portion of the blame would have been nice. Secondly he would have been a lot better off telling the truth regarding the player sales but said we will not roll over and hand over our best assets for peanuts, we will get what they are worth or look at other routes for cash generation.
Finally, he could have issued a fucking war cry - he could have bigged up the achievements of the U23's last season and how they destroyed every competition they were in, said they ARE good enough and will shock the league next year with how good they are. He could have said how despite losing a couple of players we will still have a squad that will be full of internationals and the envy of 3/4s of the league and it will simply be a case of some of the other senior pros still here to step up and make sure they are the ones who have a season like Jack, or Chester or Adomah or Kodjia the year before.
He could have backed himself, his management team and the squad that he has built but he didn't. He sat there and downplayed our chances, absolved himself of blame, brought the expectations down and lined up his excuses for failing next season. That is what has pissed me off, not the honesty regarding player sales.

Absolutely this. Being honest is honourable, but what we need far more than that is some belief and positivity. If we're in as much trouble as appears, then we need to start using it to our advantage; create an attitude of us vs the world. Big up the kids, make them feel unbeatable. Give us something, anything, to get behind.

"The club needs the fans more than ever". Well, Steve, we've been here the whole time and things have just got worse and worse. I think what the club needs more than ever is a proper football manager to drag us out of this hole. Do you know of one?

[sirlordbaltimore]

Yeah thats right because theres absolutely nothing to be outraged about right now is there.  Because every things rosy in the garden, lovely jubbly, quite spiffing in fact, they've all done very well.

There's being annoyed, upset, and pissed off. And then there's saying the same thing over and over with no extra points to warrant it surely ?

We asked / demanded a statement from the club telling us the real situation, we got one and then some moaned about that.

We wanted to hear the manager's version. We got that and no they're moaning about that as well.

We've had the 'honest answers' and whereas i think most supporters would go 'right, that's the situation. lets deal with it', some seem to be more concerned with spending time combing through a perfectly innocent straight to the point interview for hidden meanings.

It's bloody mental.

There are people on here, regardless of what they say otherwise would absolutely love Bruce to fail rather than do well once the season kicks off.

I'm 100% convinced that's true. Maybe add that to the conspiracy pile.

[sirlordbaltimore]

Absolutely this. Being honest is honourable, but what we need far more than that is some belief and positivity. If we're in as much trouble as appears, then we need to start using it to our advantage; create an attitude of us vs the world. Big up the kids, make them feel unbeatable. Give us something, anything, to get behind.

Isn't that OUR job as supporters ? to get behind OUR club and create that unwavering support they will need to thrive once the season kicks off ?

Or is that all down to the club again and none of our concern ?

When is it going to be OUR turn to do something positive in this dark summer ?

Buy a season ticket, go to the match, support the team. Not sit there waiting to grumble. What good will that do ? Villa Park needs to have the same unified/positive atmosphere as last season. Only us lot can do that job.

[john e]

Yeah thats right because theres absolutely nothing to be outraged about right now is there.  Because every things rosy in the garden, lovely jubbly, quite spiffing in fact, they've all done very well.

There's being annoyed, upset, and pissed off. And then there's saying the same thing over and over with no extra points to warrant it surely ?

We asked / demanded a statement from the club telling us the real situation, we got one and then some moaned about that.

We wanted to hear the manager's version. We got that and no they're moaning about that as well.

We've had the 'honest answers' and whereas i think most supporters would go 'right, that's the situation. lets deal with it', some seem to be more concerned with spending time combing through a perfectly innocent straight to the point interview for hidden meanings.

It's bloody mental.

There are people on here, regardless of what they say otherwise would absolutely love Bruce to fail rather than do well once the season kicks off.

I'm 100% convinced that's true. Maybe add that to the conspiracy pile.

there is a lot of outrage maybe some over the top maybe some goes to far

but you and a couple of others have done a sterling job defending him to the death on here every day
 answering every negative Bruce post with a positive spin i have to say i even when it seemed impossible to defend you have managed to pull something out of the bag every time,

i grudgingly admire your unequivocal belief in him even though i think your 100% wrong

but well done looks like you got what you wanted,
Bruce is still here for whatever reason you should be well chuffed with how things are heading, going into the new season with him at the helm

[paul_e]

Yeah thats right because theres absolutely nothing to be outraged about right now is there.  Because every things rosy in the garden, lovely jubbly, quite spiffing in fact, they've all done very well.

There's being annoyed, upset, and pissed off. And then there's saying the same thing over and over with no extra points to warrant it surely ?

We asked / demanded a statement from the club telling us the real situation, we got one and then some moaned about that.

We wanted to hear the manager's version. We got that and no they're moaning about that as well.

We've had the 'honest answers' and whereas i think most supporters would go 'right, that's the situation. lets deal with it', some seem to be more concerned with spending time combing through a perfectly innocent straight to the point interview for hidden meanings.

It's bloody mental.

There are people on here, regardless of what they say otherwise would absolutely love Bruce to fail rather than do well once the season kicks off.

I'm 100% convinced that's true. Maybe add that to the conspiracy pile.

There's other people who refuse to see that he's already failed.

[OzVilla]

I think Bruce should stay, only because I think we'll be in a more perilous situation if he walked out today. 

But for real negativity then you need look no further than the manager that's paid 3 million a year to think of reasons not to be negative.  He blew an opportunity to settle people down and re-inject some confidence in people, instead he gave us nothing but his excuses already yesterday.

[mattjpa]

Absolutely this. Being honest is honourable, but what we need far more than that is some belief and positivity. If we're in as much trouble as appears, then we need to start using it to our advantage; create an attitude of us vs the world. Big up the kids, make them feel unbeatable. Give us something, anything, to get behind.

Isn't that OUR job as supporters ? to get behind OUR club and create that unwavering support they will need to thrive once the season kicks off ?

Or is that all down to the club again and none of our concern ?

When is it going to be OUR turn to do something positive in this dark summer ?

Buy a season ticket, go to the match, support the team. Not sit there waiting to grumble. What good will that do ? Villa Park needs to have the same unified/positive atmosphere as last season. Only us lot can do that job.

I think most people will be behind the team. SB is our manager and if you take this new found honesty coming out of the club he will be our manager for the foreseeable future. Even if we don't start the season well, most will understand we aren't in the best position to get anyone better so will get behind him. My original point which was reiterated by by boozy was that he had a real chance to make yesterday a shit sandwich. "Heres your nice new kit, I'm sorry but a few of our better lads will be sold BUT we won't give them away, the money raised will safeguard the future of the club and come what may i will still have 24 lads who are full of talent, full of enthusiasm and will leave everything on the pitch for you. lets get behind them as we're all in this together"

Im sorry but he gave 2 interviews yesterday which were a combined 13minutes of bad news delivered in a negative, depressing way that stunk of don't blame me if things start going wrong next season - you can't be that surprised that some people are reacting badly on the back of them as we all love the football club and things are really sh** at the moment.

[boozey182]

Absolutely this. Being honest is honourable, but what we need far more than that is some belief and positivity. If we're in as much trouble as appears, then we need to start using it to our advantage; create an attitude of us vs the world. Big up the kids, make them feel unbeatable. Give us something, anything, to get behind.

Isn't that OUR job as supporters ? to get behind OUR club and create that unwavering support they will need to thrive once the season kicks off ?

Or is that all down to the club again and none of our concern ?

When is it going to be OUR turn to do something positive in this dark summer ?

Buy a season ticket, go to the match, support the team. Not sit there waiting to grumble. What good will that do ? Villa Park needs to have the same unified/positive atmosphere as last season. Only us lot can do that job.

Well, personally, I think our fans have been tremendous for the last decade or so, considering what we've been subjected to. Of course the atmosphere at Wembley and the playoff final was great (that was never in doubt), but we also got a near sellout against Burton the season before, for example. There are very few clubs in country that could boast a level of support that we provide. The fact that, as a season ticket holder, I still struggle to get tickets to away matches tells its own story.

I guess the answer to your question of 'when is it time for us to do something' is: the first match of the season. We'll sing, we'll cheer and we'll encourage. Just like we've been doing.

But I don't think this is the issue. I've said before on here, I'm very positive about next season (in spite of overwhelming evidence...) But I'd like to see it coming from the guy who (no matter how loud I shout in August), has a much bigger influence over how next season will pan out. Unfortunately. I'd love our fans to be the main contributing factor on the success of our club.

We're still masters of our own destiny. There's 46 games to win, let's start talking like we're aiming to win every single one of them.

[kippaxvilla2]

Did I hear him correctly?  Did he even say that Jack would attract attention because he had an excellent six months?  He couldn't have even spun that to an excellent season?!  Redknapp would have said, 'top, top' several times and convinced everyone he is already an established England International.

[ChicagoLion]

Exactly this. Bruce is damned whatever he says or does.

Not sure thats the case tbh. Firstly, some humility in accepting a portion of the blame would have been nice. Secondly he would have been a lot better off telling the truth regarding the player sales but said we will not roll over and hand over our best assets for peanuts, we will get what they are worth or look at other routes for cash generation.
Finally, he could have issued a fucking war cry - he could have bigged up the achievements of the U23's last season and how they destroyed every competition they were in, said they ARE good enough and will shock the league next year with how good they are. He could have said how despite losing a couple of players we will still have a squad that will be full of internationals and the envy of 3/4s of the league and it will simply be a case of some of the other senior pros still here to step up and make sure they are the ones who have a season like Jack, or Chester or Adomah or Kodjia the year before.
He could have backed himself, his management team and the squad that he has built but he didn't. He sat there and downplayed our chances, absolved himself of blame, brought the expectations down and lined up his excuses for failing next season. That is what has pissed me off, not the honesty regarding player sales.

Exactly.

[TheMalandro]

The so-called stability we'll get from Bruce staying will be quickly forgotten when we go on a lengthy losing spell, in the autumn/winter.

Fans will get on his back and he'll repeat the bitter interviews of previous years.

That's my psychic evaluation. It will not end well.

[The Edge]

The thing I don't understand about Bruce's interview is his negativity and acceptance of how things are. It sounds like "clubs know our position and will fuck us over" it's basically totally defeatist and exactly the opposite to what we need to hear from the manager right now. Talk like that will undoubtedly push DOWN the price we can get for our best players. Fighting talk is what we need to hear now. "we won't be pushed around" "we will fight to keep our best players" etc etc. He has severely weakened our negotiating stance. If I was Xia I'd be fucking fuming with him right now.

[London Villan]

I've said on the Bruce thread... I wonder if we have served notice on his contract?

[boozey182]

Did I hear him correctly?  Did he even say that Jack would attract attention because he had an excellent six months?  He couldn't have even spun that to an excellent season?!  Redknapp would have said, 'top, top' several times and convinced everyone he is already an established England International.

I'm no conspiracy theorist (I believe I had that part of my brain removed by the government shortly after my birth), but there were quite a few little comments like this that seemed to me like he's trying to undermine Dr Tony. To what end, I'm not sure, but I'm certain he can't be as naïve as he came across.