Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[supertom]

I don't think he's the man to take us forward. If the last 12 months shows anything (and the next will), is that the footballing dinosaurs are getting left behind. Warnock is the anomaly but I would put good money right now on them finishing rock bottom of the Premiership next term. Pardew, Hughes, Allardyce, Pulis, Lambert. They've all been left behind somewhat. The two best teams in the Championship this season were Wolves and Fulham. They play decent football, have reasonably young squads and have the basis to build and the ability to make a good fist of survival. I see the relegation scrap being very competitive. I can see next season being a firm 40 points needed to survive, at least and you'll see 10 or more clubs battling it out because there won't be a great deal at all between the bottom 12.

For ourselves, we should really bite the bullet with Bruce and find a more progressive manager. Make a sensible appointment. Not a RDM because he won the champions league, or a Sherwood because he did 'ok' at Spurs.

Filling our squad with experience got as nearly, but not over the line. But ultimately I'd have had us down as certs for dropping back down straight away under Bruce.

Get our U23's in. Get a younger, more progressive manager in. Easier said than done, but maybe we start looking around at managers who have instilled a footballing ethos at their clubs and maybe excelled in L1 (or have done well on a shoestring in the Championship). Bruce is short term thinking, and ultimately he failed in his remit.

We've players in place here, who could do well in a more technically minded set up. Certainly I look at Hourihane and I can see another level in him. If we keep Jack too. In the end Bruce's transfer policy smacked of short term thinking and his footballing philosophy showed nothing but a hit and hope short term attitude.

I think we need to start building. Automatic will be even harder next season. I think it'll take another couple of seasons sadly (unless we win the playoff trophy next time). Get RHM, Green, in regularly next season. Create a side with energy, pace, and some technical ability. Build a footballing side. Ultimately, these are the sides that go up and do well now.

I feel for Bruce, I like him, but his football is largely awful and when we find ourselves up against it, he regularly comes up short in his response.

[sickbeggar]

Still think he'll walk once the dust settles. Manager's like Bruce make their living on providing a service or quick fix. It's not nice to watch but can be effective and that's how they continue to get employed by clubs. If he stays for another season and we're struggling under FFP rules with players sold then he's only going to get sacked which damages his reputation. Walk away now and he can at least point to a play-off final and maintain his "Mr Promotion" tag to an extent. Being given the boot next season is another black mark on his CV and too many of them mean the dire football starts overriding his reputation. Sunderland nearly finished him, getting sacked at villa could find him in the Mick McCarthy level of possible employers.

[rob_bridge]

The fact he is an amiable bloke, a man's man if you like, doesn't mean he should be extended further in his position. His remit this season was to get promoted using a tried and tested approach. I doubt he can vary his approach and I doubt this approach will be anymore successful next season.

[tomd2103]

I don't think he's the man to take us forward. If the last 12 months shows anything (and the next will), is that the footballing dinosaurs are getting left behind. Warnock is the anomaly but I would put good money right now on them finishing rock bottom of the Premiership next term. Pardew, Hughes, Allardyce, Pulis, Lambert. They've all been left behind somewhat. The two best teams in the Championship this season were Wolves and Fulham. They play decent football, have reasonably young squads and have the basis to build and the ability to make a good fist of survival. I see the relegation scrap being very competitive. I can see next season being a firm 40 points needed to survive, at least and you'll see 10 or more clubs battling it out because there won't be a great deal at all between the bottom 12.

For ourselves, we should really bite the bullet with Bruce and find a more progressive manager. Make a sensible appointment. Not a RDM because he won the champions league, or a Sherwood because he did 'ok' at Spurs.

Filling our squad with experience got as nearly, but not over the line. But ultimately I'd have had us down as certs for dropping back down straight away under Bruce.

Get our U23's in. Get a younger, more progressive manager in. Easier said than done, but maybe we start looking around at managers who have instilled a footballing ethos at their clubs and maybe excelled in L1 (or have done well on a shoestring in the Championship). Bruce is short term thinking, and ultimately he failed in his remit.

We've players in place here, who could do well in a more technically minded set up. Certainly I look at Hourihane and I can see another level in him. If we keep Jack too. In the end Bruce's transfer policy smacked of short term thinking and his footballing philosophy showed nothing but a hit and hope short term attitude.

I think we need to start building. Automatic will be even harder next season. I think it'll take another couple of seasons sadly (unless we win the playoff trophy next time). Get RHM, Green, in regularly next season. Create a side with energy, pace, and some technical ability. Build a footballing side. Ultimately, these are the sides that go up and do well now.

I feel for Bruce, I like him, but his football is largely awful and when we find ourselves up against it, he regularly comes up short in his response.

Agree with a lot of that ST and if Bruce is to go then I think you have covered some of the qualities that we should be looking for in his successor.  The obvious choice for the type of manager you have mentioned is Dean Smith, but I’m sure there are plenty of other options beyond these shores.  I still think we could well end up with John Terry as our next manager if Bruce does go this summer.

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

Another thing with Dean Smith: how much would Brentford want from us in compo? Are we're in a position to poach a manager from anywhere? Though I don't fancy any of the "old school" British crowd available: may as well keep Steve on in that case.

[mr underhill]

we won't be paying compo and it won't be Dean Smith.

[john e]

I thought Bruce had more integrity than this, he knew exactly what his remit, certainly at the start of this season, was and he has failed dismally.
He should resign instead of saying that he will continue if the board want him too.

I am sick to death of his negativity and passionless football, he should be retired from football!

Once he leaves Villa he will be retired , no decent club will take him now ..which is why I think he wants to try and hang about

Me as well as the crap football I can do without another season of him moaning about FPP( Ironically now it actually will be a big deal to us ) and crap like''well thats the championship '' when we lose to sides like Bolton

I was for sacking him around xmas time and have not changed from that stance

he will easily get another job,
the likes of Lambert, Mcliesh, Mclaren, Pardew a whole host of them always find someone to overpay them for their services no matter what they did before

It’s a merry go round and Bruce has been on it a while now and he won’t be getting off

[sickbeggar]

I thought Bruce had more integrity than this, he knew exactly what his remit, certainly at the start of this season, was and he has failed dismally.
He should resign instead of saying that he will continue if the board want him too.

I am sick to death of his negativity and passionless football, he should be retired from football!

Once he leaves Villa he will be retired , no decent club will take him now ..which is why I think he wants to try and hang about

Me as well as the crap football I can do without another season of him moaning about FPP( Ironically now it actually will be a big deal to us ) and crap like''well thats the championship '' when we lose to sides like Bolton

I was for sacking him around xmas time and have not changed from that stance

he will easily get another job,
the likes of Lambert, Mcliesh, Mclaren, Pardew a whole host of them always find someone to overpay them for their services no matter what they did before

It’s a merry go round and Bruce has been on it a while now and he won’t be getting off

yep if he leaves this summer, then come November time they'll be a queue of premiership relegation threatened teams/underperforming championship sides looking to interview him - its how he got the villa job for starters.  If he's still at villa under huge financial restrictions and we're mid-table to lower then that could really damage his reputation. He's an ambitious guy who knows his worth and getting sacked by us in November won't do brand-Bruce much good.

[Leicester_Villian]

Firstly I am not a Bruce fan and I think within the next 10 days he will be gone ..... I think he will quit, he has done it before but I think he may feel he needs a break after whats happened to him over the past few months with his parents
Whatever we think we should thank him as Villa is now a much better club than maybe the past 5 years - I am talking about the team effect not really the style
I then hope we will go for Dean Smith .... he has a habit of rebuilding teams each season and his style is easy on the eye ...... my thoughts would be its either DS or a totally unknown option from Europe

[AsTallAsLions]

I'm confused, hasn't he just come out this morning and said he'll stay unless he's pushed?

I said over the weekend I was doubtful about him walking and it doesn't look like he will. Tone will have to pull the trigger.

[VillaAlways]

I'm confused, hasn't he just come out this morning and said he'll stay unless he's pushed?

I said over the weekend I was doubtful about him walking and it doesn't look like he will. Tone will have to pull the trigger.

Tone’s gone back to China by all accounts

[old man villa fan]

What’s the point in having this “Villa Engine” philosophy if the manager is akin to the Fat Controller driving a knackered outdated steam train? We need a progressive modern manager that can develop and bring through the potential of our youth.

Playing devil's advocate here but isn't that what we thought we were getting with Lambert?

Youth and up and coming players = Jordan Bowery up front.

I remember reading an article on up and coming managers at around the time we were looking for a replacement for Houllier.  The analysis of Lambert at the time was that he was a poor man's Martin O'Neill.  Which wasn't far off on a lot of his (in)abilities.  Another mentioned at the time was Howe (before he went to Burnley).

[mr underhill]

so at the moment, Steve goes again??

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

Looks like it. No compo to pay to anyone and he knows the players already.

[ChicagoLion]

There is logic when You consider.
1. He knows the squad
2. It represents stability.
3.He is backed by Wyness.
4.We are skint so they can avoid compensation for him and the back room staff.
5. FFP means we are not in a position to pay compensation.
6. Attracting a new manager without a Transfer budget will prove extremely difficult particularly when you consider the deadwood that is still lying around and that the loan players will be let go.
I don’t think any one should be surprised if they stick with him.
What a mess.