So the conversation has turned to how Bruce gets on with the likes of McCormack, who to my mind doesn’t stand a chance of ever starting for the Villa, while Bruce is in charge.
There are opposing views that say he should be played while we’re paying his wages and it’s a fair argument.
£40-50k a week is a lot of money to be sat on the sidelines.
But having thought about it, McCormack isn’t really the issue.
Much more important is will Bruce be our manager, when this season starts?
I know Bruce is Marmite to Villa fans.
Some like the stability that retaining him would bring. He’s a steady manager that has experience of getting clubs promoted.
I’m happy to say I’m in this club.
But I also see that his football is too defensive on the whole (I’d suggest we’re attacking enough at times, but it doesn’t matter) and it’s probably his wanting to retain the same eleven that might have cost us.
I don’t quite see the “dinosaur” comments, but do accept that he seems reluctant to play the kids.
You probably know my views, which are that if we play a team of kids, we’ll be annihilated in the Championship.
Skill doesn’t count so much as grit and balls.
Kids just don’t have it, for me.
For example, Grealish had been poor and it’s only recently that he’s learned about how much hard work is actually required if you want to succeed in the Championship. And he is our best bet!
The point is I believe there’s a disconnect in the game our kids are playing, as opposed to the Championship.
We’re too geared to the Prem.
The Prem2 or whatever it is called just doesn’t involve tackles and it’s not a decent breeding ground.
Fortunately, it also means kids don’t dive or cheat like the real game.
But I digress.
Which brings me back to the main point.
Bruce is on a rolling one year contract, I believe.
I’ve heard talk that it might cost us money to sack him, but I don’t see how that’s so.
Whereas if we do sack him, we have to pay out another contract to get another manager in.
Could we get another manager on the same sort of contract?
I doubt it.
So if we’re looking at say, a 3 year contract, it’s going to cost more money.
No chance, I reckon.
All that said, what does Xia think of Bruce?
This is the important part and what could be the decider.
At the end of the day, Bruce failed.
It’s as simple as that.
And isn’t the Chinese way of thinking that failure is not acceptable? (Is it? That’s how it seems, but I’m guessing).
I suspect that Xia would sack Bruce tomorrow, if he could.
But the simple fact is that I don’t believe we can afford to sack him.
And then we also have to consider that Bruce might not want to work at a club that is struggling and has to sell it’s best players to survive.
I’ve put a Poll up, but please remember, it’s not about if you want him, but about if you think he will stay.
[polldaddy poll=10040246]