I’ve been expecting this all day and have been keeping a close eye on the news, but typically it seems the announcement was made while I was listening to my music library in the car on the way home.
So I’ve literally only just heard it myself.
There’s just no doubt that it had to happen.
The football had been rubbish all season, the away fans turned, the manager turned on the fans and then the home crowd strongly vented their feelings. It was all following a pattern we’ve seen before.
I know a few of you won’t agree, but now we’ve actually done the deed, I’m a bit sorry he’s gone really.
Let’s not forget that he re-united the club with the fans, even if only for a while. And he stayed with us this summer when it probably would have been easier to walk, just as it seemed we were in our worst situation in 50 years.
I also worry that any new manager that comes in also won’t be able to get a tune out of our players.
But I guess that’s just the perfectly normal feeling of not liking the unknown.
But I think that mostly I’m quite happy that it’s happened now.
I predicted he’d get 10 games and I was pretty close, as it’s actually 11.
Whatever, it’s early enough for us to be able to turn things round.
And let’s face it, whoever comes in can barely do a worse job. It would seem that there’s plenty of room for improvement with the squad (particularly the top 13 or 14 or whatever).
The latest news is that Kevin McDonald will lead the team against Millwall and it’ll be interesting to see what happens there, although I don’t expect much to change.
From memory, he pretty much continued what had previously been happening in his previous stints as caretaker.
So hopefully it’s onwards and upwards then.
Although I massively worry that the new manager will struggle, purely because of the unbalanced squad.
Which is where I think we are going to have to show a little patience, at least until we’ve seen what happens in the winter window. Which brings FFP into the fray again.
Thanks for the positives Steve.
But here’s looking forward to some watchable football.
Sadly, it’s not before time.
With the backroom coaching gone its defiantly going to be hard for McDonalds to whip a team in to shape, I’m wondering if we can recall our loans?.
Only if we have the clause written in Bill.
And given that it was all about saving money, we probably haven’t.
Elphick coming back would do us a big favour.
Oh, as for “cabbagegate”, I’m sorry, but I nearly pissed myself laughing when I heard about that.
That’s a bit wimpy from Bruce, as surely he must remember the days of darts and sharpened coins and the like being thrown when he was playing.
Although, no doubt a cabbage thrown from distance would come a bit sharp if it hit you on the head.
I’m sorry, I really can’t help it and I’m laughing as I type.
The question that keeps coming back is who the hell goes to a game with a cabbage?
LOL 🙂
I once went to a gig with an uncooked over ready chicken to throw on stage! The band were well freaked out! Lol!
Shocked the Police are wasting time on this though!!!
Hello hello hello, lettuce be having you.
I know what you mean. A bit said he didn’t succeed. Cheers for doing a very, very good job of making us look like a football club again after the shit show Lerner created.
Here’s an interesting comment from the Express and Star;
“Villa appeared in danger of unravelling and the board were, ultimately, left with no choice but to act, chief executive Christian Purslow delivering the news yesterday morning.”
Surely that’s a mistake and should read “this morning”?
Maybe it’s meant for the printed edition tomorrow.
Surely Bruce wouldn’t have known yesterday?
Badger, that would fall in line of that transfer of 2.7 million into the club yesterday.
His pay-off money?
Probably correct, Bill.
Although I now think that comment was definitely a mistake.
It seems the new CEO, Purslow, wanted to give him until after the Millwall game, but saw the home fans’ reaction.
Badger, I agree with your sentiments completely. It is not going to be easy for any incoming manager – an unbalanced squad, low confidence amongst the players some of whom were clearly ‘close’ to Bruce (whether or not that was a good thing is irrelevant) and may therefore become ‘difficult’ to manage plus trying to meet (probably) unreasonably high expectations of the fans for immediate success. Add to that the ever present threat of FFP points deduction next season and you have one very unholy stew!
Whilst I still think, on balance, Bruce had reached the end of his tenure and had to go, I hope the owners know what they are doing or we will become Leeds Mark2.
Leeds mark 2?
I hope so they’re top at the moment
Yeah – after 14 years of turmoil, changed managers, changed owners and a stint in L1 – and they’ve been in this position before early season!
Hitch, the footy alone, did it for me.
He had to go, as you don’t have a hope in hell of getting promoted while playing like that.
While I like to think he might have turned it round, the negative mindset that seems to have been instilled in the team made it impossible for me.
Another problem is that bruce had too many favourites.
Grealish should quite simply have been subbed last night, as he did nothing in the second half.
Yet he wasn’t, because Bruce wanted to base the team around him.
So why was he playing left wing, with wingers on the bench?
It’s rubbish thinking and all about accomodating certain players, hoping they’ll do the business.
Just as Bruce no doubt thought that his old war-horse Whelan would put that pen away.
If I started playing now, i’d probably get as many goals in the next few years as he has in his career.
As for the high expectation, I’d suggest it’s warranted, with the first team we have, even if it’s somewhat unbalanced.
The likes of Hogan and Lansbury are sat on the sidelines (albeit injured) and can’t get a game.
That’s what’s done for Bruce, imo. He’s not seen that before and couldn’t handle it, imo.
At the end of the day, we’ve top players who ain’t performing = time for a change.
Hence why we need a manager who knows nowt about us to come in and be totally pragmatic, imo.
Which will be the next topic of conversation, I’m sure.
Forget, the likes of Henri and Terry and the other rubbish, I’ve seen linked; I’ll say that straight off
ok too much info to soak in.
first off i thought the game yesterday was a gutless performance, even when we went in 2 nil h/t i said to a buddy if they score next they will go on to win 3 2. second half proved me right the players came out and dropped off preston and got punished.
i wanted to condemn the cabbage man i think this was uncalled for puts us all in the same light. most fans wanted bruce out but most of us are civilised and wouldn’t stoop so low. they should find this guy and ban him from vp, for another punishment he should be given a season ticket at st andrews.
lastly to bruce being sacked, i wish bruce all the best. sad that this situation got to this mess. i think the right conclusion was last season. he failed and he should have walked away or got the sack back then. new owners made a mistake not bringing their man in back then,
just been reading all your posts from the game and to this point. i saw one where hitch said the players are upset about bruce. i would like to say that they all played below themselves yesterday. grealish should be ashamed to dodge a chance to win the game. i recalled nobody but bolaise and whelan step up. whelen kindof drew the shortest straw.
Nath, I did also say that the players needed to look at themselves and their sub par performances.
yeah you are 100% correct. that was my take and i think it was players mostly that should be thankful to bruce. like grealish and chester hutton and kodjia it seems like all the players which bruce has placed most trust in, all let him down big time yesterday and it was like a stab in his back.
it will be very interesting to watch these players under mcdonald at millwall
Agree on Grealish. Bill said some time ago that his heart’s no longer in it. I reckon he had it spot on – the summer and his failed move to Spuds has messed with his head and affected his game. Sorry to say this but unless the new manager can get him fully committed then we should probably sell him in January.
Only just seen the news story.
Here we go again…
Performances and results [particularly results -] this season were pointing to this happening, although I do feel rather sorry for Bruce nonetheless.
The trouble is that I can’t think of any obvious replacement who’s likely to be any better at getting us out of this division.
FWIW, bookies currently seem to have Dean Smith as favourite…
Sheffield Wednesday 2- Albion 0 half Time.could this be part two from. yesterday.
i hope who ever the next manager is we all get behind him. i cant see smith coming myself, also i cant see us paying compo to another club to release their manager. i think it will be thierry henry he wants the position still.
hey arsene wenger is free, couldnt they get wenger / henry with henry taking full control once hes do his badges etc and proved capable
Prepare for Fat Sam….
Nath, agreed – the club will not want to pay compo on top of Bruce’s severance payment so think they will go for someone whose available – let’s just hope it’s not Big Sam – more of the same – can hear the collective groan from here!
i think the owners will go foreign route. big sam 🙁 not for villa he has lots of bad negative press surrounding him
whoever ends up being manager they will be off their heads. anybody who wants the poison chalice must be totally nuts. manager having to deal with millionaire players with attitudes. professional sport pundits all putting pressure on them, slagging them off just to stay important to the broadcaster. fans all getting on his back if results dry up and ambitions not matched.
below was brian clough one of many quotes i recall and believe in.
“Players lose you games, not tactics. There’s so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes” England’s exit from Euro 2000, explained the Cloughie way.
I agree about the poisoned chalice point. Our fans are arguably the most demanding and volatile in the country. The word ‘toxic’ is used far too often to describe the atmosphere at VP. I remember Brian Little losing the opening 4 games of the season in 1997, including a 4-0 drubbing in the opening home game to Blackburn, in despite that, the fans in the 5th game against Leeds at VP were magnificent. I remember constant banging on the back of the Holte and “Claret Blue Army” being chanted on loop until Yorkie slammed home the winner. Times have changed. There is zero patience or tolerance.
Having said that, Cloughie was wrong about tactics, or at least he would be now. That’s exactly the attitude that turns managers into dinosaurs. All the young managers coming from the continent seem to be far more tactically astute, and it does make a difference. The fact is the players were playing for Bruce. All the stoppage time goals prove that without a doubt. It was Bruce’s ineptitude with team selection and lack of innovation with tactics which handicapped the players and resulted in so many dropped points.
Someone brave with “unfinished business”, a natural leader and winner who commands respect is needed. Any ideas? 😉
Not a chance in hell it will be any of the aforementioned managers, imo
If the owners choose Henri at this stage, I doubt I’ll support him.
And it would seem the owners have ways of clearing debts to add equity in the club, which means we’re not accumulating further losses.
I’ve consistently said you can make the books look exactly as you want over time and my view hasn’t changed.
As long as the money is coming in, forget the seeming losses.
Expect one of Mendez’s contacts to come in as manager/coach.
With money to spend, when you consider some of the assets we can unload, even at a loss.
Hmm, I wanted to make the next manager thing, my next post, but I suppose it’s the logical next question.
why don’t you put up a manager wish list and votes in your next post badger will be interesting to see which managers your posters would like to see fill the post
Ok. I’m on it.
Although, I’m not sure now is the right time, as it’s too early.
Expect to see it in a few mins.
It will be interesting to see who gets the vote
This is the first real test for our new owners. We’re about to find out if they’re up to the job or in the Lerner / Krulak / Faulkner league. If they go for fat Sam, then it’s ‘curtains’ because there’ll be so much veg being thrown at the dugout, Buggs Bunny will be likely to stick his head out of the VP pitch for a snack…
Seriously, I would hope that they have someone lined up and have done their homework.
For me, Terry could be a master stroke. Who knows how much influence he had last year? We’d also get an extra (decent) CB as a bonus…