Bruce Sacked at last (now official)

[dutchvilla]

The thing with Allardyce (and Pulis) is that they get the basics in place - organisation, players knowing their role, a basic overall strategy. It may not make for great entertainment, but it is effective. With Bruce, we're neither entertaining nor effective.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Bruce is paid to manage situations, players etc.wrt McCormack he has failed to manage the player for the good of AVFC or indeed for the player's own good.
Regarding the perception of sky, talkshite, the media in general re sacking Bruce. I couldn't care less. They hate us anyway so one more reason won't make much difference. The owners have to do what's best for our club regardless.
The maths of this division is quite simple. Generally 2 points per game should get you up automatically. The 1st quarter of the season is especially important to get you in the leading pack, if not you're playing catch-up which is irretrievable, as Bruce found out himself last season and rdm/Bruce the season before (Even Fulham couldn't do it last season despite a 20+ game unbeaten run). If a club is to make a change, then game 10+ is too late for auto promotion. That is why Bruce needs to go now if the owners want auto promotion and I'd be surprised if they don't. The right appointment hopefully would have games and time to make up our current shortfall before the quarter season mark Bruce out asap!

[andyh]

I think most of us can make a case for dismissing Bruce, I think it’s very difficult to make a compelling case to keep him.

The question is, what do the owners think,? because they are the only ones who matter.

[sirlordbaltimore]

I still don't know how people can use McCormackgate as a stick to beat Bruce (or any other manager with)

McCormack took the piss out of the club by not turning up to do his very well paid job, not once but numerous times.

What is a manager supposed to do when a player does that? serious question.

Do you think his team mates would have wanted him welcomed back into the fold like he'd done nothing wrong either?

Imagine the message that would've sent out. I'm a supporter and I couldn't care if Ross had previously scored five hat tricks in a row. You can't have players taking the piss and doing whatever they want. For all his faults, the one thing Bruce definitely got 100% right was getting the whole squad unified last season. There were no bad apples as far as I could see, just a group of players all playing for their manager and each other. For the first time in YEARS.

I'm not even sure McCormack has even apologised to Bruce or his team mates. Fuck him, and rightly so.

[Malandro]

Forget the past. What is going on at the club now is enough to warrant the sack.

We know the defence is a shambles, the players do, other teams do and even other fans are talking about it.

[Risso]

I still don't know how people can use McCormackgate as a stick to beat Bruce (or any other manager with)

McCormack took the piss out of the club by not turning up to do his very well paid job, not once but numerous times.

What is a manager supposed to do when a player does that? serious question.

Do you think his team mates would have wanted him welcomed back into the fold like he'd done nothing wrong either?

Imagine the message that would've sent out. I'm a supporter and I couldn't care if Ross had previously scored five hat tricks in a row. You can't have players taking the piss and doing whatever they want. For all his faults, the one thing Bruce definitely got 100% right was getting the whole squad unified last season. There were no bad apples as far as I could see, just a group of players all playing for their manager and each other. For the first time in YEARS.

I'm not even sure McCormack has even apologised to Bruce or his team mates. Fuck him, and rightly so.

I don't think it's the bombing out as much as the way it was publicly handled.  A player who cost £12m was effectively devalued to nothing, which doesn't help anybody.  But in any case, that's not really important right now, what is is getting rid of Bruce and somehow finding a manager who can get us up.

[chrisw1]

The thing with Allardyce (and Pulis) is that they get the basics in place - organisation, players knowing their role, a basic overall strategy. It may not make for great entertainment, but it is effective. With Bruce, we're neither entertaining nor effective.

I agree.  I think Allardyce would have a very good chance of getting us promoted - if he could get a defence with four right backs and only one centre half to perform.  But he is the last manager I want.  We've had our safe pair of hands.  Let's now go and get someone more exciting, progressive and inspirational who can make use of our abundance of attacking riches and build a legacy for the future, rather than make us hard to beat and maybe sneak us over the line.

Not an easy time of year to recruit, but hopefully they are looking.

[sirlordbaltimore]

Forget the past. What is going on at the club now is enough to warrant the sack.

We know the defence is a shambles, the players do, other teams do and even other fans are talking about it.

To be fair, we did have a LARGE part of our support demanding Hutton get a new contract this summer despite anyone with eyes knowing he's the most bog average footballer we've seen at Villa Park in decades. Demanding someone that is both suspect defensively (especially positionally) and absolutely useless in the opposition half gets a new deal over giving someone their head was and still is a totally bizarre scenario you'd only get at our club.

Bruce should've got the sack for listening to that and giving him one alone. And all those that demanded it should have gagging orders placed on them as well.

The whole defence looks a mess. Even Chester looks like a pub player this season.

[chrisw1]

I still don't know how people can use McCormackgate as a stick to beat Bruce (or any other manager with)

McCormack took the piss out of the club by not turning up to do his very well paid job, not once but numerous times.

What is a manager supposed to do when a player does that? serious question.

Do you think his team mates would have wanted him welcomed back into the fold like he'd done nothing wrong either?

Imagine the message that would've sent out. I'm a supporter and I couldn't care if Ross had previously scored five hat tricks in a row. You can't have players taking the piss and doing whatever they want. For all his faults, the one thing Bruce definitely got 100% right was getting the whole squad unified last season. There were no bad apples as far as I could see, just a group of players all playing for their manager and each other. For the first time in YEARS.

I'm not even sure McCormack has even apologised to Bruce or his team mates. Fuck him, and rightly so.

Do you not think there was any way of dealing with the situation that wouldn't have thrown away a £10m club asset? 

[Clampy]

I still don't know how people can use McCormackgate as a stick to beat Bruce (or any other manager with)

McCormack took the piss out of the club by not turning up to do his very well paid job, not once but numerous times.

What is a manager supposed to do when a player does that? serious question.

Do you think his team mates would have wanted him welcomed back into the fold like he'd done nothing wrong either?

Imagine the message that would've sent out. I'm a supporter and I couldn't care if Ross had previously scored five hat tricks in a row. You can't have players taking the piss and doing whatever they want. For all his faults, the one thing Bruce definitely got 100% right was getting the whole squad unified last season. There were no bad apples as far as I could see, just a group of players all playing for their manager and each other. For the first time in YEARS.

I'm not even sure McCormack has even apologised to Bruce or his team mates. Fuck him, and rightly so.

Do you not think there was any way of dealing with the situation that wouldn't have thrown away a £10m club asset? 

It depends on how bad the situation was and what exactly went on.

[sickbeggar]

I always thought there was an element of club politics in Bruce's treatment of McCormack and how he handled it publicy. Maybe he had to make an example of someone given what had happened in the preceeding season but...

a) He obviously didn't fancy him as a player anyway.
b) Totally trashing him meant the club had no option but to spend big money on a replacement. Ironically on Hogan
c) If you looked round that dressing room for fat players with attitude problems, then maybe the inexplicable popularity of Gabby with sections of our fanbase and his position in the dressing room heirarchy meant that Bruce didn't fancy picking a fight with him when he'd just arrived.

Eiither way, I still believe saying as little as possible about these things is always the way to go however much of a c*** the player is.

[dicedlam]

First and foremost I want us out of this god forsaken league. It is truly shite being where we are and with whom we have in charge trying to get us out of it.
Some may scoff at Alladyce, but like others have pointed out, he does the basic things correctly. All players would be played in there natural positions and know what is required of them.
Another important eliment we seem to have trouble with is fitness. Again, you just know Allardyce would sort that out.

Allardyce is not my cup of tea long term for sure, but he is better than the chancer we have in charge right now.

[chrisw1]

First and foremost I want us out of this god forsaken league. It is truly shite being where we are and with whom we have in charge trying to get us out of it.
Some may scoff at Alladyce, but like others have pointed out, he does the basic things correctly. All players would be played in there natural positions and know what is required of them.
Another important eliment we seem to have trouble with is fitness. Again, you just know Allardyce would sort that out.

Allardyce is not my cup of tea long term for sure, but he is better than the chancer we have in charge right now.

He'd probably be better than Bruce right now, but that doesn't make it a good appointment.

And whatever his faults, Bruce isn't a 'chancer'

[The Edge]

Forget the past. What is going on at the club now is enough to warrant the sack.

We know the defence is a shambles, the players do, other teams do and even other fans are talking about it.

To be fair, we did have a LARGE part of our support demanding Hutton get a new contract this summer despite anyone with eyes knowing he's the most bog average footballer we've seen at Villa Park in decades. Demanding someone that is both suspect defensively (especially positionally) and absolutely useless in the opposition half gets a new deal over giving someone their head was and still is a totally bizarre scenario you'd only get at our club.

Bruce should've got the sack for listening to that and giving him one alone. And all those that demanded it should have gagging orders placed on them as well.

The whole defence looks a mess. Even Chester looks like a pub player this season.

Ok. Before you have me gagged here goes. I went to more games last season than I have in years. On many occasions he was the fans favourite due to his never say die defending and his bombing runs. Everyone knows he's not the greatest footballer but as the saying goes "you gotta love a tryer" He deserved a contract even if it's just to have him in the squad for his aggression. Those like myself who wanted him to get his contract extension could not possibly have known the complete fuckfest Bruce was getting into with his idea of a back four. I think people who are still finding ways to defend Bruce are wrong but I wouldn't suggest gagging them. We still live in a democracy last time I checked.

[Monty]

Hutton might be average, but honestly that's fine at this level - as long as its only a few in the squad.