Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[Toronto Villa]

Has any team previously sacked a manager when in a play off position at this point of the season? Just wondering.

No, and neither should we.

Yes, he's doing a great job.

Yes, but sacking him now would be a tad pointless.

Why? Given our results in the past 5 games it's pretty difficult to do any worse. I have zero confidence Bruce can win the playoffs so if there's someone out there who we'd look to get in the Summer anyway let's just get them in now and let them have a crack at the playoffs.

Because we could still get up. He's not going to be sacked before the play off's anyway.

We "could" get up if I managed the team so that's missing the point. The real question is what's going to give us the best chance of going up and I'm pretty sure Bruce isn't the answer.

As for the other names mentioned, Wagner might be tempted given how precarious Huddersfield are looking. Hughton might fancy coming to a big club too.

If you honestly think Wagner or Hughton are going to walk out on Premier League jobs to try and get us up with 5 games to.go, then i'll have what your drinking or smoking.

yeh, agreed. No PL manager is just walking out on a job to see if he can get Aston Villa promoted through the play offs. We need to ride this out because causing huge turmoil through a manager and staff change is no guarantee of some miraculous turnaround this late on.

[The Moose]

Lambert Mk2. The same tired old cliches, with a complete absence of any responsibility.
"Not my fault, (insert excuse here)"
Fuck off Bruce.

[Damo70]

If we fail to go up then whatever you think of Bruce as a manager (and I have always supported him since his appointment), there is no doubt in my mind that he is definitely not the right man to try to get us up on a restricted budget next season. His previous promotion successes with Small Heath and Hull were achieved in the manner he has tried to do it with us. Experienced players, often with some top flight experience that command higher wages. If we don't go up we need a Dean Smith type who can work on the kind of budget we will have for next season. He has been mentioned for the Albion job and has just signed a contract extension at Brentford  and finally moved his family down South but I'm sure he would fancy the Villa job.The likes of Wagner and Hughton have been mentioned but unless their teams go down I doubt they would fancy dropping a division. The chances of someone doing a SGT and dropping out of the top flight to manage us just because we are the Villa are slim these days.

[garyshawsknee]

The gulf in money is too much for someone to drop down a league nowadays. We will need someone who can make young players better, Smith or if they fail to go up, the Fulham guy. SB is not the man to coach young players.

[chrisw1]

I am fucking furious and there won’t be any defending of Bruce from me today. 

[Three Spires Villa]

Yep, very disappointed, had a gut full of him, sooner out the better

[Sexual Ealing]

The lad from Hull and Watford, who's Everton-bound might like a short-term injection of cash.

[SoccerHQ]

I am fucking furious and there won’t be any defending of Bruce from me today. 

Same here.

Our performance today was inexcusable given our flat things were. Surely the squad watched the Cardiff game together and would've got a lift from that ending so don't understand how we can come up and be flat as a pancake.

Far from the first time it's happened this season.

[ChicagoLion]

I am fucking furious and there won’t be any defending of Bruce from me today. 

Same here.

Our performance today was inexcusable given our flat things were. Surely the squad watched the Cardiff game together and would've got a lift from that ending so don't understand how we can come up and be flat as a pancake.

Far from the first time it's happened this season.

Yes they have been staying in a Hotel near Norwich for the last couple of days.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's 5 games you thick twat.

We were poor, really poor, and we didn't do nearly enough to get anything from the game. There was no zip to our play, the defending for the second two Norwich goals was unbelievably poor and we absolutely got what we deserved, which was nothing.

"The players have let the supporters down - and they have also let themselves and the team down.

"It's really disappointing the way we have fallen away over the past four games, taking just four points. That's not promotion form, or even play-off form. We have failed to perform when we really needed to and handed the momentum to others, which is really disappointing.

[ChicagoLion]

It's 5 games you thick twat.

We were poor, really poor, and we didn't do nearly enough to get anything from the game. There was no zip to our play, the defending for the second two Norwich goals was unbelievably poor and we absolutely got what we deserved, which was nothing.

"The players have let the supporters down - and they have also let themselves and the team down.

"It's really disappointing the way we have fallen away over the past four games, taking just four points. That's not promotion form, or even play-off form. We have failed to perform when we really needed to and handed the momentum to others, which is really disappointing.

He is blaming the players, if only there was someone in charge of training, setting up tactics, picking the team and motivating the players.

[Brend'Watkins]

As I stew over this poor performance I’m still left wondering why there was such a lack lustre approach to this game? Being off form is one thing, but to be strolling around like it was as important as a friendly I just do not get. We raised our game for the Wolves match but haven’t put a performance in like that since. Why is that Bruce?

[paul_e]

Yep, takes no responsibility for it at all. He'll be moaning about the fans again before long.

[PaulWinch again]

He keeps repeating the same mistakes.

[The Moose]

I repeat:
Lambert Mk2. The same tired old cliches, with a complete absence of any responsibility.
"Not my fault, (insert excuse here)"
Fuck off Bruce.