Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[PaulWinch again]

My issue is that he's using the first positive result to have a pop at the fans. The result in itself was good, but we need a lot more. If we win the next 6 in a row and feels he still needs to have a pop then he can, but at the moment our run of results has been unacceptable and he should be big enough to realise that.

[Lastfootstamper]

Steve, how many of the teams currently above us in the table have we beaten this seson?

Just beaten one a few hours ago. And now they're below us again.

Read again what I wrote.

So now you dont count Middlesborough who were above us but arent now because we beat them hmmm

Were Preston above us before yesterday's game as well?

Are you lot planning careers in politics? "Let me reply to that with a question that has a different answer"

[TelfordVilla]

Wolves haven't beaten many teams above them either. It means nothing.

[Clampy]

Steve, how many of the teams currently above us in the table have we beaten this seson?

Just beaten one a few hours ago. And now they're below us again.

Read again what I wrote.

So now you dont count Middlesborough who were above us but arent now because we beat them hmmm

Were Preston above us before yesterday's game as well?

Yeah but that doesnt count either because they were only above us for 4 days

He even used the word 'currently'. Oh well, it made me laugh anyway.

[Leicester_Villian]

I think there is and only has been one person calling it a crisis and thats the manager .......
The fans simply expect more from what is a decent squad the majority signed by this manager but there are few in the team
If the manager cant handle a crisis then maybe he should simply resign and not take any payoff that may be due
I can see the plans for tomorrow already and doubt it will be good to watch ...its no wonder the fans are not coming in force to watch this style of football
If you cant handle the pressure Mr Bruce then give us a new year present and resign otherwise stop moaning about the fans - just accept we dont like you

[LeeB]

I think there is and only has been one person calling it a crisis and thats the manager .......
The fans simply expect more from what is a decent squad the majority signed by this manager but there are few in the team
If the manager cant handle a crisis then maybe he should simply resign and not take any payoff that may be due
I can see the plans for tomorrow already and doubt it will be good to watch ...its no wonder the fans are not coming in force to watch this style of football
If you cant handle the pressure Mr Bruce then give us a new year present and resign otherwise stop moaning about the fans - just accept we dont like you

The only bit I’d disagree with is the bit about the fans not coming out in force. We fill wherever we go regardless of the shite served up, and we got 35k for a home game two days before Christmas that was live on the box.

[Lastfootstamper]

Quote from the Evil:
"I’m delighted for some of them who have been on the fringes, particularly Tommy Elphick who wasn’t playing yesterday. Sickness overnight has brought him into the team.

"I didn’t think it would be fair on him to play two games in three days having not played for the best part of five months.”

He's a blinkered jobbing chancer.

[brian green]

I don't think the aggression by Bruce is specifically intended for the Villa supporters.  As somebody else has said correctly he is shoring up his contacts with his friends in the media just like Sherwood and O'Leary did.  When the sack finally arrives he wants to shrug his shoulders, spread his hands and be Good Old Brucie who never really got a chance.  Thereby staying on the managerial gravy train.

I think the criticism that is getting to him, and I agree he looked pissed during the post Pulisboro interview, is that of Tony Xia behind the scenes.  Bruce is not brave enough to take on his employer on the subject of unfair criticism so he directs his bleats at the fans who are not giving him a fair shake and if the owner also heard the bleats Bruce has got his message across.

It is clearly obvious that Tony Xia is as unhappy as the fans.  The amount of financial support he has given Bruce he is entitled to be.

[Clampy]

I think there is and only has been one person calling it a crisis and thats the manager .......
The fans simply expect more from what is a decent squad the majority signed by this manager but there are few in the team
If the manager cant handle a crisis then maybe he should simply resign

So is it a crisis or isn't it?

[KevinGage]

I don't think the aggression by Bruce is specifically intended for the Villa supporters.  As somebody else has said correctly he is shoring up his contacts with his friends in the media just like Sherwood and O'Leary did.  When the sack finally arrives he wants to shrug his shoulders, spread his hands and be Good Old Brucie who never really got a chance.  Thereby staying on the managerial gravy train.

I'd say that's exactly it.

[ktvillan]

It starts to get easier to beat the teams currently above you the more you drop down the table.  From where we were 5 weeks ago Boro and Preston should have been nowhere near us.  A fairer question is how many of the top 6 have we managed to beat, or even look good against. 

[sickbeggar]

Depends what you think constitutes a crisis. For a team looking to get promoted, 3 points out of 15 before yesterday is pretty close

[Allan C]

It starts to get easier to beat the teams currently above you the more you drop down the table.  From where we were 5 weeks ago Boro and Preston should have been nowhere near us.  A fairer question is how many of the top 6 have we managed to beat, or even look good against.

Pretty much spot on.  I personally don’t think we look good against any team but particularly against the top 6 we look consistently 2nd best

[andyh]

Bruce is the master deflector.
He is the only one using the word ‘crisis’ but by including the fans in his diatribe he is implying that the fans are calling/causing a crisis.

He needs to either show some dignity, humility and professionalism or just shut the fuck up.

[Clampy]

Depends what you think constitutes a crisis. For a team looking to get promoted, 3 points out of 15 before yesterday is pretty close

Or it depends how you look at it. December wasn't great by any means but we won 1,  lost 2 and drew the rest and we're still only 7 points off 2nd place. I'm not sure i'd label that a crisis personally.