Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[Boz]

It's almost surreal now, how shit we've gone.

I honestly, truly believed that Bruce would come in and turn it around. For a while it looked like he would. Things are as bad now as at any time in the last 5 years. How much worse does it get before it starts to get better? Is there another club that has had a shitter run of form than Villa? We look to be completely fucked. Where will the next Ron Saunders / Graham Taylor come from? I can't think of anyone out there now who we could realistically bring in to sort this mess out. Anyone got any ideas?

Dean Smith. Brentford total footballed us twice this season (not that's saying much). He's a Villa Fan and I think would still walk here. Based on not knowing anything myself, but you'd think he would.

Mark Warburton?

I think we should be looking, or maybe having a look around at a manager who has a modern outlook. A style of play and fitness that is sustainable. This Bruce style of not being very good at much is now out-dated. And is clearly not going to win us many points.

Agreed, a modern thinking manager who won't be overwhelmed by the historic environment of Villa Park and is man enough to be able to motivate players to care about playing rather than collecting their pay and kick their collective arses when necessary, which is most of the time currently.

[cdbearsfan]

We've signed loads of players in the past, just because they've been brilliant against us. I worry that Dean Smith might be the managerial equivalent. Yes, Brentford outplayed us twice, but they're still only fifteenth, one place above us.

As for Warburton, he did well at Brentford and in getting Rangers II promoted. But virtually no Rangers fan seems sad to see him go. Maybe they were just expecting too much, but even so, it gives me cause for reservations about him.

The longer we leave it, the less attractive we become, unless we can muddle through to the Summer, but as relegation gets ever closer that's a massive gamble.

Fuck knows who we should appoint. I'd still be in favour of sacking Bruce today and acting quickly to replace him so the new incumbent has a run of winnable games to start off with.

[Ozzjim]

We should go for the guy at Fulham.

[David_Nab]

Short term keep us up solution is Rowlett as he out of work and did same job with Blues

[Walmley_Villa]

The same issue that has haunted us over the past 2-3 years, we aren't a team. Just a bunch of individuals thrown together. Buying a team of captains has proved to be a disaster - too many egos and generals.

First thing I would do is make Jed captain and bang the heads of the rest of them together.

[mr underhill]

that will be the Jedi who is constantly out of the side injured or in it and out of puff after 20 minutes?

[in exile]

that will be the Jedi who is constantly out of the side injured or in it and out of puff after 20 minutes?

I don't think he was injured.
I reckon he was exhausted from his international duties

[RussellC]

I've just written this on the post-match thread, but why on earth didn't he make a change as soon as the 2nd goal went in last night? We were never going to score 2 goals with that system and personnel on the pitch, but yet he stood there motionless for another 10 minutes before changing anything. His 'in-game management' is utterly non-existent.

[Clampy]

He'd been out for about 5 games as well. I thought he was very good in the first half.

[Marton]

Well, we didn't think we would beat Newcastle away after we got mauled by a bunch of crappy teams anyway.
Hoped to see some improvement, desire and passion though. That failed.

Now, as things stand the Derby game is the divider. Win that and Bruce might as well huff and puff for the rest of the season. The season is still a failure regardless but focus will be on the next one.
If we lose however...then we are  in a relegation fight. At that point replacing Bruce can have a valid effect and surely must be  measure to consider.

[aj2k77]

If we lose to Derby and make it 9 defeats in 10 then all excuses aside Bruce has to be sacked. No one else would put up with that shit, we've lowered expectations at this joke of a club for years now and it would reach the absolute depths if we are to accept 9 defeats in 10 in the Championship, that's sackable level even for a Rotherham manager.

[ClarrieBlue]

On current form, I imagine Derby will beat us on Saturday. I hope not but everybody beats us lol. We then have Bristol City at home and Rotherham away. If we can't take anything from those 2 games then I would think you've got to look elsewhere and hope for a bounce. I really don't want SB sacked. Like many I thought he would get us in the play-offs probably by the end of next season. I always thought to get us up this year would be a stretch. I did think that if nothing else SB would produce a functional team but we are far from that at the moment.

[aj2k77]

I don't want Bruce sacked either but this is terrible and you can't tolerate dreadful runs like this. It sounds out all the wrong signals and we've done it for far too long.

[VinnieChase84]

For me, lose Saturday and he should be gone. This level of tripe would be tolerated if it looked like we had;
1) a style of play
2) a plan
3) performances where you could see progression

We have none of that. Apart from Brighton we've not played well in pretty much ALL of his games in charge. I'm sorry but what is he going to change now? He's had long enough to address those 3 points. Get rid now, look longer term, get dean smith and let him crack on. Football has moved on and Bruce is exposing himself as a dinosaur

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

It's almost surreal now, how shit we've gone.

I honestly, truly believed that Bruce would come in and turn it around. For a while it looked like he would. Things are as bad now as at any time in the last 5 years. How much worse does it get before it starts to get better? Is there another club that has had a shitter run of form than Villa? We look to be completely fucked. Where will the next Ron Saunders / Graham Taylor come from? I can't think of anyone out there now who we could realistically bring in to sort this mess out. Anyone got any ideas?

Dean Smith. Brentford total footballed us twice this season (not that's saying much). He's a Villa Fan and I think would still walk here. Based on not knowing anything myself, but you'd think he would.

Mark Warburton?

I think we should be looking, or maybe having a look around at a manager who has a modern outlook. A style of play and fitness that is sustainable. This Bruce style of not being very good at much is now out-dated. And is clearly not going to win us many points.

Agreed, a modern thinking manager who won't be overwhelmed by the historic environment of Villa Park and is man enough to be able to motivate players to care about playing rather than collecting their pay and kick their collective arses when necessary, which is most of the time currently.

David Wagner you mean?