Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[Bad English]

And another bright spot, am I right in thinking this keeps Footyskillz on the forum?

Who cares? If he/she chooses to post or flounce. Whatever! It's the same for everybody, is it not?

It’s a matter of opinion, I like his posts. Also, it was meant to be light hearted.

Yes, I know what you mean. I was just being grumpy about all this "I won't post again if..." nonsense. It's like people announcing that they are 'taking a break' from Twitter. No need to make us cry, just do it!

[brian green]

Anybody who has taken over a failing business, a failing school, a failing barracks room a failing enterprise of any kind will appreciate my view of the current situation, those who have not will think I propose impulsive, knee jerk solutions.  I can live with that.

The most important time by far are the first hours, the first days.

We have allowed those precious hours to be sacrificed on the altar of stability where so much Villa blood has already flowed.

We needed to send a message loud and clear to the whole world of football, to the media who have rejoiced in our downfall, the James Nurseys and the Tom Rosss, the Agbonlahors, N'Zogbias, Richardss, Lescotts and all the blood sucking under performers that things have changed at Villa Park.  No more jammed gates, magic trouserphones, Mayfair hotel slappers, alleged youth team bullying, no more inscrutable Twitter messages from the owner, no more touchline chewing gum spitting contests, no more snakery by departing players being urged to leave by other Villa players, no more big screen Secret Santa mocking of our French players or player Christmas parties from which the French players were excluded, no more taking on new managers denying them funding to strengthen the tem then sacking them.

All those disgraceful episodes of our recent past dumped in the garbage bin of history.  A new start.  A new broom sweeping clean was what was needed.

The retention of Bruce which has been trumpeted by his friends in the game and in the media as a vote of confidence and that it is business as usual at Villa Park.  It may not be business as usual but that is the way it is being spun.  That is what is being believed.

The appointment of an interim manager or a deferred decision about Bruce may or may not have cost us a lower points yield from the first dozen games of the season until the right manager is found but it would be a price worth paying to tell the world of football that it was not going to be business as usual at Aston Villa, not more of the same old shambolic destruction of the club.

[mike]

And another bright spot, am I right in thinking this keeps Footyskillz on the forum?

Who cares? If he/she chooses to post or flounce. Whatever! It's the same for everybody, is it not?

It’s a matter of opinion, I like his posts. Also, it was meant to be light hearted.

Yes, I know what you mean. I was just being grumpy about all this "I won't post again if..." nonsense. It's like people announcing that they are 'taking a break' from Twitter. No need to make us cry, just do it!

Yes, I have left twitter and Instagram (the only social media I've ever been on) and both times just stopped posting. No need or point in a big pouty flounce.

[footyskillz]

And another bright spot, am I right in thinking this keeps Footyskillz on the forum?

Who cares? If he/she chooses to post or flounce. Whatever! It's the same for everybody, is it not?

It’s a matter of opinion, I like his posts. Also, it was meant to be light hearted.

Yes, I know what you mean. I was just being grumpy about all this "I won't post again if..." nonsense. It's like people announcing that they are 'taking a break' from Twitter. No need to make us cry, just do it!

Yes, I have left twitter and Instagram (the only social media I've ever been on) and both times just stopped posting. No need or point in a big pouty flounce.

Come on gents and ladies -People are different in how they go about things and at the time I was doing it to express a point. I was confident that there was no such verbal  agreement of the former arsenal man coming .

However I think I learnt one thing it's to put up or shut up rather than look to contest every decision (like I'll leave that to Ashley young ha)

Definitely a good point though -wise not to make such statements as others reading can eye roll ! It's an open read forum but members only post .

So as a member in future I won't make such unreal statements I will just have my say .

I like to learn from things and I have again .
Now I need to work on my grammar and spelling to be writing as co hearant as so many here .

But sincerely point taken .

Up the Villa . Have a good weekend!!

[260475]

Brian, agree that it shouldn't be 'business as usual' in the way you describe it. If the new owners are shrewd, they may have introduced a performance element to key non playing contracts, possibly giving notice on the qt  to head off severance issues. Those affected don't have to look for a job right away, and know what is required to stay. If progress isn't up to rqmts can still have an early departure. Clarity and firmness often get a tune out of teams where they haven't been directed before. Interesting to see who is installed as Chief exec - a key role.

UTV

[chrisw1]

Where are you from footy?

[footyskillz]

Anybody who has taken over a failing business, a failing school, a failing barracks room a failing enterprise of any kind will appreciate my view of the current situation, those who have not will think I propose impulsive, knee jerk solutions.  I can live with that.

The most important time by far are the first hours, the first days.

We have allowed those precious hours to be sacrificed on the altar of stability where so much Villa blood has already flowed.

We needed to send a message loud and clear to the whole world of football, to the media who have rejoiced in our downfall, the James Nurseys and the Tom Rosss, the Agbonlahors, N'Zogbias, Richardss, Lescotts and all the blood sucking under performers that things have changed at Villa Park.  No more jammed gates, magic trouserphones, Mayfair hotel slappers, alleged youth team bullying, no more inscrutable Twitter messages from the owner, no more touchline chewing gum spitting contests, no more snakery by departing players being urged to leave by other Villa players, no more big screen Secret Santa mocking of our French players or player Christmas parties from which the French players were excluded, no more taking on new managers denying them funding to strengthen the tem then sacking them.

All those disgraceful episodes of our recent past dumped in the garbage bin of history.  A new start.  A new broom sweeping clean was what was needed.

The retention of Bruce which has been trumpeted by his friends in the game and in the media as a vote of confidence and that it is business as usual at Villa Park.  It may not be business as usual but that is the way it is being spun.  That is what is being believed.

The appointment of an interim manager or a deferred decision about Bruce may or may not have cost us a lower points yield from the first dozen games of the season until the right manager is found but it would be a price worth paying to tell the world of football that it was not going to be business as usual at Aston Villa, not more of the same old shambolic destruction of the club.

Excuse the critique
This is a fantastic write up !
Really can get what you're saying on  Villa recent goings onand opportunity to move forward and change . However it's a risk averse move approach and think stability was one of the decsions

Bruce has a seemed love in and support for him by those in the game.

What's annoying is their seems to be little acknowledgement that Bruce is quite set in his ways and that a more exciting brand of football and dynamic play could be achieved but a squad was mainly created to get the job done by just being better players and team

What's good is how respected he is in the game and this must be one reason why he's being kept on.

[footyskillz]

Where are you from footy?

It's not where you're from it's where you're going right ?

I don't want recent excellent post if brain Green  to be lost on non interesting and irrelevant details as this is Bruce thread
 

[Ads]

The perception is irrelevant, it's what actually happens that matters.

I'm not overly interested in how we're perceived, although the significant media coverage for a 2nd division club indicates a great deal, I'm more concerned with our custodians making smart choices.

They lack football knowledge and appear to have the sense to appreciate that fact, deciding better to keep what we have and know (with whatever objectives have been set) than taking a leap of faith in Henry. It would have been a ridiculous decision.

History is littered with great men making gambles; alea iacta est. Our history is littered with dimwits making poor choices.

This wasn't a Rubicon moment for us. We didn't need some unnecessary statement of, well I'm not sure what to be honest.

[john e]

i'm happy and chilled with the new owners

i can understand why they have made the decision to keep Bruce on

the big disappointment for me is every day is a wasted day while he is in charge and has been for the last two years, the longer it continues the further away from actually doing something better it becomes

i can see him doing just enough (as always) to keep people thinking that good times are just around the corner, yet when you look closely its all built on sand
he could very well stumble on grinding it out to the end of the season and we will be here again

hope not but who knows he seems to have charmed the new guys up well, i just hope they don't give him funds to buy any players or the hill will become even steeper to climb when they eventually do the right thing

[mr underhill]

I don't think they will - it's going to be limited to a couple of loans and maybe a freebie , mainly I suspect because he has been given a short term target regarding points on  the board. By starving him of  actual cash, it gives a budget, no matter how small, to any incoming incumbent. As someone else put it rather atmospherically the other day, I don't expect him to be here once the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness are with us.

[john e]

I don't think they will - it's going to be limited to a couple of loans and maybe a freebie , mainly I suspect because he has been given a short term target regarding points on  the board. By starving him of  actual cash, it gives a budget, no matter how small, to any incoming incumbent. As someone else put it rather atmospherically the other day, I don't expect him to be here once the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness are with us.

they said he had there full support
what’s the point in trying to create a situation in which he will fail
might as well have got rid straight away

this is why I think they are quite prepared to give him a go

[mr underhill]

I don't think they are  setting him up to fail. Didn't Chelts say that there will not be any  short term largesse with these 2? Not giving him lots of money during an appraisal period is sensible.

[paul_e]

I don't see not giving him much of a budget as creating a situation where he will fail. As you've pointed out, he's responsible for a lot of the players in this squad so if they were good enough to sign then I don't see a massive problem with the board telling him to use them for a few months whilst the finances are sorted out.  I really want a left back but I can see the argument that he signed Taylor and gave hutton a new contract on the back of 6months of performances there so he works with what he's got.  If that is the approach I'd expect a centre back and for us to replace major players who leave but not much more.

[Hookeysmith]

The dilemma as I see it

I can see why they have left him in charge, I don't agree with it, but I do understand it, If we are to make a change sooner rather than later then we have to expect that he is to be his usual self and results will be poor.

If the opposite is true and we set off like a train then it is a lot harder to justify dropping him (which long term we would have to as if we get up anytime soon he cannot be the future)

As highly intelligent as our new owners must be to amass that much wealth they cannot instantly put everything wrong right again so the first thing we need is the creation of a proper infrastructure to take us forward - first of all a progressive, experienced CEO with a footballing background of some sort.