Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[ChicagoLion]

I was beginning to look forward to going to Villa Park again.
Not now.
Understandable decision but one that will need to be undone this year.

[ROBBO]

I want Bruce out but the timing was against it, at least he is connected and may get us a couple of loan players. My take is that they will give him a few weeks then look at it again.

[BoVillan esq]

What i'm hoping is this is a genuine attempt for stability, they've have given due consideration to Bruce's role at Villa, decided to give him another season to get the club back in the Premiership based on his near miss last time, hope it's all based on that kind of honesty and this is not a decision based on financial grounds in terms of what it may cost to get rid of him, really hope it's the former. 

[ChicagoLion]

Timing, cost of letting him go and avoiding disruption.
It’s not like the new owners have said we are so lucky to have Steve Bruce.
He will put on the same shit shows with less talent and the ready made excuses all lined up.
We won’t move forward until he has gone.

[PeterWithe]

In my opinion, the right call. Dropping Henry into his first job 12 days from the first game was asking for trouble. I would imagine Bruce is under no illusion that he has their full backing for now...provided he starts the season better than last year!

Same here

[OCD]

I was intrigued at the possibility of a new start but this is a more pragmatic approach. Bruce knows the squad, knows where he needs players and should have a shortlist. He can get on with the job now.

[go on the dog]

He will be gone, by the time the dark nights come.

[hilts_coolerking]

Probably the right decision for the time being, but I say that with no enthusiasm.

[Malandro]

Steve Bruce aka Stix-like-shit..

[Nelly]

Deeply underwhelming. Lets hope it's third time lucky.

[The Moose]

The new Lambert is upon us...

[Small Rodent]

It's a friendly against a team who like it or not are vastly superior and have spent £100m.

True, but you could say similar to all our opposition vs Us last season.

[pauliewalnuts]

In my opinion, the right call. Dropping Henry into his first job 12 days from the first game was asking for trouble. I would imagine Bruce is under no illusion that he has their full backing for now...provided he starts the season better than last year!

Same here

Me too.

I am not a massive Bruce fan but this close to the season, I think the owners have thought about the realities of dropping Henry into this job now, and realised that at least starting with Bruce is the prudent step.

[AsTallAsLions]

In my opinion, the right call. Dropping Henry into his first job 12 days from the first game was asking for trouble. I would imagine Bruce is under no illusion that he has their full backing for now...provided he starts the season better than last year!

Same here

Me too.

I am not a massive Bruce fan but this close to the season, I think the owners have thought about the realities of dropping Henry into this job now, and realised that at least starting with Bruce is the prudent step.

Prudent? Maybe.

Good for football? Indisputably not.

[pauliewalnuts]

In my opinion, the right call. Dropping Henry into his first job 12 days from the first game was asking for trouble. I would imagine Bruce is under no illusion that he has their full backing for now...provided he starts the season better than last year!

Same here

Me too.

I am not a massive Bruce fan but this close to the season, I think the owners have thought about the realities of dropping Henry into this job now, and realised that at least starting with Bruce is the prudent step.

Prudent? Maybe.

Good for football? Indisputably not.

Well, i wouldn't say it is 'indisputable' because it's a subjective thing. I didn't actually say it, either.

But then again, I don't think dropping someone who has never managed, has spent his whole career playing with top quality players, and has no concept of the Championship into a mess like this a week before the season starts is a good idea, either.

I would much rather they kept Bruce and reassessed at Christmas, a point at which they'll have a better idea of a decent manager than someone they like because they've seen him score shit loads of goals for Arsenal on the telly.

For the next three months they need to find some way to strengthen the squad whilst staying within FFP rules, and putting into place a proper management structure.

That means a grown up CEO, not a twenty something who used to run a call centre, and a management structure who can help him (or her) build something sustainable and ambitious.