Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[villan from luton]

I think the manager has shown great dignity in this terrible period for him and I like him as a person and wish him all the best.

As a manager, he has stabilised the club, but we now need someone who is more forward thinking. I think we can accept second division football so long as there is attacking intent. That is not Bruces philosophy

[brian green]

Mike.  Does it occur to you that I am recommending a more sanguine approach to the death of loved ones because, being so much older than most of the posters on here I have both endured the loss of many more loved ones and also that I am much closer to death than most of you are.   My attitude is not coldness it is the absolute opposite.

Enough of this.  I have said what I have said.  Take it or reject it.   The choice is yours.

[Risso]

I get where you were coming from Brian.

[Villa in Denmark]

I think Mr Bruce was totally focussed on Villa, but unfortunately his game plan a few times this season was not what was needed, that's all.

Well summed up.

[The_ads]

I’m afraid I now associate Steve with two seasons of failure and to that end, the club should pat him on the back and wheel out the mutual consent line and we should be knocking on Brentford’s door for Dean Smith this week.

[Matt Collins]

Two key tests for me

1) what position are we in? The more we're reliant on youth the less sense it makes to retain Bruce. If it's still the nucleus of the current side I can see the case, subject to . . .

2) who are the alternative candidates? The thread from last summer was full of ridiculous names. If we're in a pickle financially we won't be that much of a pull. I'd be intrigued by the likes of Dean Smith but I can't say I'm confident it would be the right option. He's never won promotion to my knowledge

[Sexual Ealing]

Steve Bruce has won loads of promotions. A fat lot of good it's done us.

[The_ads]

Two key tests for me

1) what position are we in? The more we're reliant on youth the less sense it makes to retain Bruce. If it's still the nucleus of the current side I can see the case, subject to . . .

2) who are the alternative candidates? The thread from last summer was full of ridiculous names. If we're in a pickle financially we won't be that much of a pull. I'd be intrigued by the likes of Dean Smith but I can't say I'm confident it would be the right option. He's never won promotion to my knowledge

So what, Steve Bruce has an impeccable promotion record

[Toronto Villa]

Steve Bruce won’t want to use his personal issues as a reason for his failure. He’ll want to stay to complete what he’s started. But in the end professionally with resources only Wolves could compete with he’s not delivered on why he was hired. He can no longer go down the experienced path. We need someone else to take advantage of some excellent academy players.

Thank you Steve for stabilizing the club. Need someone else to push us on. And I think Eddie Howe would be an excellent choice. And I do think he’d take the challenge. PL or not you cannot compare managing Bournemouth with Aston Villa.

[The_ads]

The issue with Eddie Howe is Bournemouth will want ££££ in compensation and we ain’t got it.

Also, Eddie Howe will be looking up not down, and we are club going nowhere fast on the cusp of a transfer embargo. As much as it hurts me to say, we are not an attractive proposition

[robleflaneur]

The issue with Eddie Howe is Bournemouth will want ££££ in compensation and we ain’t got it.

Also, Eddie Howe will be looking up not down, and we are club going nowhere fast on the cusp of a transfer embargo. As much as it hurts me to say, we are not an attractive proposition

There must be quite a few suitable candidates,British and foreign,who would like to manage / coach in the wealthy and high profile Premier League who would realise that ,unless different manager every year Watford
come calling,their best chance is to get promotion to that league.
Welcome to the most famous,,best supported club in the Championship.

[garyshawsknee]

As much as I'd love to see Howe join us TV, can't see how we'd be able to afford the compensation, his budget at Bournemouth would dwarf ours, he's probably got his eye on a job like Everton and Leicester and sadly we are small fry in the football world now. The days of someone doing a Sir Graham and moving down a division have sadly passed.

We need to be looking at an up and coming manager from a smaller side, Smith at Brentford, Jones at Luton, though it's probably too early for him.

[Monty]

Each to their own, but I honestly don't think there's a chance that Howe's coming to Villa in our current state. Not a hope in hell.

[garyshawsknee]

Could we tempt Óscar García Junyent from Olympiakos?

[Sexual Ealing]

Each to their own, but I honestly don't think there's a chance that Howe's coming to Villa in our current state. Not a hope in hell.

Agreed. Smith is the obvious choice (not because he supports Villa), although I'd also be happy if whoever is responsible for recruitment actually did their effing job and found a candidate who dickhead of Ealing isn't aware of, but who is good.