Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[chrisw1]

I am just gutted.  Absolutely bereft.  I’m not going to change my view that some underestimate what a difficult job he took over and I’m grateful he stabilised us and turned things round (I don’t want open the debate again Paul & KT - just stating my opinion).

But I now agree, I would like to see a change of direction with a younger more progressive manager who will make better use of the kids.

Thanks Steve, you gave it a decent crack, but it’s time to move on.

[Dominic22]

Steve should stay and has done a good job this year. We are away scheme members and so barely missed a game in 8 years and have seen plenty of managers come and go....

I look at this and think what we thought at the start of the season.. Most of us around me said if we can make the playoffs it was a good year. He has not spent any money  (my limited brain power this morning recalls) I think and has used influence to get good loans in that on the whole have been a big success.

There is a strategy within the club that we can see, where as in the latter learner years we lurched from one thing to another. There are decisions to make and I hope some of our 23's given a go. What better than a manager who has watched them this year and   knows the wage bill has to be trimmed.

IF you look at it as a club, crowds are up,  season ticket sales are selling better than ever before, our 23's had a very successful year so why look to change to another unknown regime who will come with an idea to re-build again... Of course if he does not get us up next year then all bets are off but Steve and his staff have done well this year and although I am devastated after yesterday I am proud of the season and other than notable exceptions (Brentford, Norwich etc) have enjoyed it. He can also look at it as an opportunity as we loose 4 or 5 loans a few off the wage bill so it gives him a chance to look again. 

All that being said I need a couple of weeks of no Villa but then we will also be ready for pre-season trips.....Although as one slight moan I hope it is better organised than our trip abroad last pre-season....

[TopDeck113]

Aston Villa should not be anyone's first managerial post.

Ever heard of Tony Barton?

[SheffieldVillain]

There is a strategy within the club that we can see, where as in the latter learner years we lurched from one thing to another. There are decisions to make and I hope some of our 23's given a go. What better than a manager who has watched them this year and   knows the wage bill has to be trimmed.

A manager who will give them a chance?

How much of an opportunity have RHM, Green or Davis had since Christmas? Does Scott Hogan really offer more than Davis? How has having Onomah on the bench been an advantage rather than O'Hare? Would Green's extra pace have helped us from the bench rather than Lansbury or two defensive midfielders being on the bench most games? Injury not withstanding, what did Tuanzebe actually add to the squad other than take a subs place from Bree?

Steve has unfortunately shown that every time he will revert to either taking young players on loan from the big clubs at the expense of our own, or picking the tried and tested. He's done nothing to show that he fits the absolutely correct brief you've outlined.

[Mister E]

I posted on the Terry thread that Lampard had pitched in for the job at Derby.
I’m not advocating this - I’m not sure they would quite have what it takes - but I could see the Doc appointing both, with Steve Round and Agnew supporting the non-playing side of things.

Carvalhal is a ‘no’ from me. Too idiosyncratic.

I would offer Carlos Queiroz as a good outside option, but not sure the English 2nd tier would appeal to him.

[Ad@m]

Aston Villa should not be anyone's first managerial post.

Ever heard of Tony Barton?

Fair point. Next time we're league champions and en route to the Champions League final I'll be more than happy for our first team coach to give managing a crack.

[Risso]

Steve should stay and has done a good job this year. We are away scheme members and so barely missed a game in 8 years and have seen plenty of managers come and go....

I look at this and think what we thought at the start of the season.. Most of us around me said if we can make the playoffs it was a good year. He has not spent any money  (my limited brain power this morning recalls) I think and has used influence to get good loans in that on the whole have been a big success.

There is a strategy within the club that we can see, where as in the latter learner years we lurched from one thing to another. There are decisions to make and I hope some of our 23's given a go. What better than a manager who has watched them this year and   knows the wage bill has to be trimmed.

IF you look at it as a club, crowds are up,  season ticket sales are selling better than ever before, our 23's had a very successful year so why look to change to another unknown regime who will come with an idea to re-build again... Of course if he does not get us up next year then all bets are off but Steve and his staff have done well this year and although I am devastated after yesterday I am proud of the season and other than notable exceptions (Brentford, Norwich etc) have enjoyed it. He can also look at it as an opportunity as we loose 4 or 5 loans a few off the wage bill so it gives him a chance to look again. 

All that being said I need a couple of weeks of no Villa but then we will also be ready for pre-season trips.....Although as one slight moan I hope it is better organised than our trip abroad last pre-season....

He has failed.  He gambled everything on a short term strategy of older and expensive loans.  We had to go up this season to avoid financial calamity, and he failed, so we're now in the shit.

We will almost certainly see all of the following leave: Johnstone, Terry, Snodgrass and Grabban.  Jedinak and Whelan are old and slow.  Chester and Grealish are only really saleable assets, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them both sold to raise funds.  We need a complete rebuild, and Bruce 100% is not the man for that job.  He failed at the only thing he's remotely good at, and now he needs to be gone, ASAP.

The first half yesterday was an absolute disgrace, he was outthought so easily it was embarrassing.  There was a £160m pay day at stake, and now the diiot has blown it, the realistic future is that we're going to be down here for a good while with the likes of Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday.  Cheers Bruce, well played.

[ktvillan]

Ye Gods Dominic, everyone's entitled to an opinion but I've rarely seen a post that had me shaking my head with a combination of pity and disbelief.  Can I borrow your medication, it sounds ace. 

[Lastfootstamper]

I don't care how good a player they were, Aston Villa should not be anyone's first managerial post.

Ten years ago, no-one would've entertained the situation. But now, I don't dismiss the suggestion so readily. Yes, we shouldn't make the decision purely on their playing stature, but we equally shouldn't not make it purely on lack of experience.

As mr underhill points out, going the tried and trusted route, and then letting them hang around too long in the forlorn hope that they'll push us on, hasn't been a great success. An unmitigated disaster, some might say.

"What's the worst that could happen?". One could say that it already has.

[Dante Lavelli]

Aston Villa should not be anyone's first managerial post.

Ever heard of Tony Barton?

Fair point. Next time we're league champions and en route to the Champions League final I'll be more than happy for our first team coach to give managing a crack.

Arteta was flavour of the month at Arsenal until Emery rocked up.  I would assume that Arsenal would have done their due diligence on him so he might be a worthy left-field option.

[ktvillan]

Finding the right manager isn't easy, but I think we have to be bold.  It's risky, we might get a Wagner or Santo, we might get a Stam or a Slutsky.   Even Stam almost got Reading up on a shoestring before losing the plot.  I'd rather we take that bold step than stick with tired old Brucie, or replace him with the likes of Moyes,  and hope to stumble and grind our way up.

[olaftab]

I don't care how good a player they were, Aston Villa should not be anyone's first managerial post.

This. I really don’t get why anyone would think appointing Terry is the answer in any case.

[PaulWinch again]

We need a progressive manager who is prepared to set up a team to go out to win the game. Fif for nothing else I’d like to enjoy watching Villa play, but I also think it’s how we’ve got the best chance of succeeding.

I think the likes of Green, RHM and O’Hare are ready made for a manager who wants to play on the front foot. Our team is in desperate need of mobility.

[olaftab]

Aston Villa should not be anyone's first managerial post.

Ever heard of Tony Barton?

Totally unfair comparison. Tony was a coach and part of Ron’s team for a long while before stepping in. Terry’s only experience other than a captain of a very successful team comes from gambling allegedly and not all that good.

[not3bad]

I think think they'll give Bruce another chance so best get used to it.