Re: The Steve Bruce thread

[deadbuzzardalive]

I've just had a look at a PDF of that book and the page 103 I've seen, says something totally different. It talks about doing things one thing at a time rather than trying to do everything at once, because in the long run you save time that way, it also mentions taking your time and allowing for a margin of error, which I guess could be read as support for Bruce. But if that was the case why not just say so, a bit worrying if he's deciding the fate of the club on some random, self help book.

I think the best explanation is that he's sticking with Bruce for now, but doesn't want to say it in plain English, in case it backfires on him, should he change his mind after Saturday or whenever.

Edit here's a copy and paste...

Spoiler:

[achilles]

I don't want Bruce sacked as @Joppe84 convinced me that keeping on changing managers mid season gets you nowhere. Therefore if he was judged good enough by the board to start the season then he should have the whole season before being judged again.

HOWEVER Bruce will NOT get us promoted (although relegation might be flirted with here) and that is the obvious downside of this strategy!

[achilles]

Perhaps I should elaborate on my post that I would have sacked him at the end of last season and basically what I am saying is that I have accepted that Villa will remain in the championship for the foreseeable future.

[De Kuip]

Right, well if as suggested earlier that we change it to Sitting with Bruce, and every time he fucks up he gets jabbed with a cattle prod, it's gonna need a battery like this for the charge to last 90 mins:

[deadbuzzardalive]

But this...



Suggests to me, that he's saying that Bruce is the wrong man for the job, not sure how people are reading it as support for Bruce.

[AstonThriller]

I've just had a look at a PDF of that book and the page 103 I've seen, says something totally different. It talks about doing things one thing at a time rather than trying to do everything at once, because in the long run you save time that way, it also mentions taking your time and allowing for a margin of error, which I guess could be read as support for Bruce. But if that was the case why not just say so, a bit worrying if he's deciding the fate of the club on some random, self help book.

I think the best explanation is that he's sticking with Bruce for now, but doesn't want to say it in plain English, in case it backfires on him, should he change his mind after Saturday or whenever.

Edit here's a copy and paste...

Plenty of people believe the message is saying it's the other way, that Bruce is off. Will he get the Norwich game? I'd say right now that I wouldn't bet against it. BUT, RDM was sacked two days after we lost at Preston, So tomorrow could be a key day too. The boys wouldn't have been in training today so it will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.

[Dions_Bald_Head]

What this says to me is that Dr X is a dream chairman in the days of internet forums - what with his formulae & now this, he gives so much to argue over.

[De Kuip]

The parable of the talents that the excerpt refers to has a theme about playing it safe:
In both Matthew and Luke, a master puts his servants in charge of his goods while he is away on a trip. Upon his return, the master assesses the stewardship of his servants. He evaluates them according to how faithful each was in making wise investments of his goods to obtain a profit. It is clear that the master sought some profit from the servants’ oversight. A gain indicated faithfulness on the part of the servants. The master rewards his servants according to how each has handled his stewardship. He judges two servants as having been “faithful” and gives them a positive reward. To the single unfaithful servant who “played it safe,” a negative compensation is given.

[smetro]

I get some info from time to time - it comes from a round about way not directly from the club but football people in general.

The hierarchy at Aston Villa are in despair at the start to the season. However they aren't about to sack Bruce - He will probably survive even if we loose to Norwich. Its viewed as 3 games without 2 of last seasons best players (Kjodia and Jedinak)

Based on that I think barring a severe hammering he gets at least 3 more games.

[AstonThriller]

I get some info from time to time - it comes from a round about way not directly from the club but football people in general.

The hierarchy at Aston Villa are in despair at the start to the season. However they aren't about to sack Bruce - He will probably survive even if we loose to Norwich. Its viewed as 3 games without 2 of last seasons best players (Kjodia and Jedinak)  

Based on that I think barring a severe hammering he gets at least 3 more games.  

Wyness said there's "no excuses" about not being promoted this season and Xia said he agrees with York that the league "isn't as hard to get promoted from as people think". I can assure you the board don't care about who is injured, they care about results. Bruce is a dead man walking, it's just a matter of when now.

[deadbuzzardalive]

The club haven't spent all this money to allow for failure just because two players are injured, if Bruce is so reliant on Jedinak, then that's an even more damning indictment on him as a football manager they will also be aware that we were rubbish when they were fit anyway.

I'll be surprised if he's here next week, after Dr Tony likeing that tweet last night, reading the passage from his book, and Ho's 'unacceptable' message.

[Guest]

I don't want Bruce sacked as @Joppe84 convinced me that keeping on changing managers mid season gets you nowhere. Therefore if he was judged good enough by the board to start the season then he should have the whole season before being judged again.

HOWEVER Bruce will NOT get us promoted (although relegation might be flirted with here) and that is the obvious downside of this strategy!

Ironically I think we should get rid now. I normally never react this early in a managers reign with us, but I just can't see any progress with Steve Bruce. He's had time, plenty of money, signed his own players and we suck. A large part of it is how he comes across in interviews as well. He doesn't look up for it at all. Steve Bruce right now reminds me of Tim Sherwood post Leicester when we lost 3-2. I just don't think there's any way back for him.

And I honestly don't think a manager that keeps picking Hutton over Bree gets it.

[The Utterer]

The one thing which really dumbfounds me is the constant changing of the team. It's ridiculous. I know sometimes injuries come into it but crikey! It's a minimum of 4 changes per game and then when someone has a great match they get dropped!

[deadbuzzardalive]

Bruce's latest excuse, is accusing the players of shying away, and again going on about having no money to spend, despite him having spent more than most clubs already.

[FoxyAV]

Every time I open this thread I'm hoping to see he's gone and you bastards keep on disappointing me!

[Gordonsleftboot]

Stand back from the hoof ball comments and the rest for a moment. To some extent its irrelevant. What is more relevant is that there are 3 clubs that are unbeaten: Cardiff, Wolves and Ipswich. None of those clubs is getting parachute payments and all are therefore living within their means at a lower level than us. To make matters worse for Dr T, and maybe Bruce too, one of thos clubs was also taken over by a Chinese consortium last year.

Not sure how proud Dr T is, but to my knowledge the Chinese are extremely proud and hate to be beaten - especially by their own. He must be hurting.

That page and Drucker are all about the effective leader. He could be saying SB is one - or isn't, who knows. Based on the results to date you surely have to say that the evidence is that he isn't, at least at VP.

It seems to me that pressure is growing....

[De Kuip]

Every time I open this thread I'm hoping to see he's gone and you bastards keep on disappointing me!

I don't think I've ever,and I mean ever, seen a situation where a manager has started to blame his players, and it's worked out ok.
The behaviour from the players and the corresponding reaction from Bruce is indicative of nothing good. Believe me, if the tactical instructions were absolutely clear but absolutely wrong, good players with an appetite to win at all costs would just still get on and go for it by any means necessary.
Fuck  me I played for enough years to know that when my team were rampant, we didn't give a fuck about tactics, we just battered the opposition and every man in every position had in their mind the need to beat their opposite number. We were either champions or in the top 3 for the 10 years I played for them. Ok it was only the South Devon Premier but I still say a winning mentality is a winning mentality whatever the level. People only get hung up on the minutiae of losing when losses continue, but I swear a lot of the problem is attitude, belief and the desire to give everything for your manager, tactics always felt second place to that. Maybe it's different at professional level but sometimes I wonder. What I do know is that in my playing days pretty much every week the same players played in the same positions season-long. Is it really so different just cos players get paid a fortune? I swear it must still be better to go out each week knowing who is around you and that they will fight for you as you would for them. I think in a lot of cases the money has made people want to make football super complex to justify the riches. Its not complex, just stop fucking chopping and changing, get a team to be a team and everyone knows their job/works their tits off/has ability and never back the fuck down!
Right, back to the red wine-fest that seems to be developing at my house tonight!

[DelboyVilla]

Woke up and he is still here!

I know disappointed is the usual emotion of Villa fans lately but when you listen to Bruce's comments emotions turn to frustration then anger!!

If the board are giving more time to Bruce due to Kodj and Jedi being out then they expected this start then? Especially they have been out with long term injuries following surgery?

I wonder if Tony was saying I have people in charge running the club for me whilst I am away, let's judge Wyness, Round and Bruce when I return?

[deadbuzzardalive]

Hoping for an announcement today, wishful thinking though, really. But surely if Xia was backing him, he'd just say so, like he's done in the past, even if it's just for a few more games until the international break.

If we lose Saturday we could find ourselves eleven points adrift of the automatic places, and it could take weeks if not months to close that gap, and that's if we actually improve.

[smetro]

Hoping for an announcement today, wishful thinking though, really. But surely if Xia was backing him, he'd just say so, like he's done in the past, even if it's just for a few more games until the international break.

If we lose Saturday we could find ourselves eleven points adrift of the automatic places, and it could take weeks if not months to close that gap, and that's if we actually improve.

The fact that he has said something - but not axed Bruce, suggests that Bruce will be in charge for Norwich. Personally I think he will get a while longer after that.
If we loose against Norwich I think leaks will hit the press as to who we want as next manager.

A bit of Daft speculation:-
XIA - chose RDM
Wyness chose Bruce
Is it now Rounds turn ? -........Nathan Jones ? (Luton) - probably not. - As I have said before I believe round ducks the big decisions.

[AstonThriller]

Hoping for an announcement today, wishful thinking though, really. But surely if Xia was backing him, he'd just say so, like he's done in the past, even if it's just for a few more games until the international break.

If we lose Saturday we could find ourselves eleven points adrift of the automatic places, and it could take weeks if not months to close that gap, and that's if we actually improve.

I'm praying for it too, but my hopes are fading fast. I could understand if we had someone in-charge for forty games who was losing here and there but we could see that they were at least trying to be progressive. But what troubles me a great deal is the board have seen this plank serve up poor game after poor game. Even when we've won the performances have been garbage. But they don't seem to be bothered about the style of play at all, they're just totally obsessed with his promotion record. Which, in the cold light of day, two of those were achieved with teams he had just relegated and thus, he had premiership players to play with.

As each day goes by my faith in this regime is sinking fast. Wyness is a dinosaur himself whilst Round is a rookie who is seemingly scared to think outside the box. I mean, just look at the signings we've made since Xia came in? a massive TWO have been from abroad. It's like we're back in the Mon days all over again.

Why give Bruce another game to waste everyone's time? That's what bugs me. If Bruce remains then I'm hoping for a draw on Saturday and a Burton win tbh. That way we will find ourselves rock bottom of this league and the board will (hopefully) have no choice but to act.

[deadbuzzardalive]

Xia was always going to say something, whether Bruce is going or staying, that's in his nature. The fact that it's been done in a 'cryptic' way suggests to me that something is being worked on behind the scenes that he can't fully disclose, as is the case when he tweets equations in relation to tranfers.

He might be here for the Norwich game, but if he was likely to be here for much longer than that, I think Xia would have just said so, like every other time, Bruce has come under pressure, as I say the only other time he's been cryptic, is when dealing with transfers that can't be spoken about in public, so maybe they're negotiating with another manager.

[The Utterer]

Lots of comments referring to the absence of Kodija & Jedinak, clearly our big two players from last season but the thing is if / when the two "saviours" return, after two serious injuries don't forget, how long is it really gonna take for them to get fully up to speed? To get "match sharp"? So already there is the next round of excuses in the making! With Hogan now injured (Yet again) we need a miracle to get in the promotion picture.

After 3 games already the season looks pointless, replace last seasons Newcastle, Brighton & Huddersfield with Wolves, Cardiff & Ipswich and it's groundhog day basically. Now the confidence of those 3 will soar making them likely to maintain that form for a good while if not the whole season.

We effectively have a marathon race and we've given everyone a 15 minute head start!

With the crap i've watched from us thus far & the players at our disposal i just can see no way of turning this round in time to make a challenge.

We need either:

A) The current players to miraculously turn a corner and start to play good football - Chance rating = 1/10

B) A new player or two to come in and be the "missing link(s) - Chance rating = 2/10

C) Bruce to be sacked and a new manager come in and sort it out - Chance rating = 5/10

D) Bruce to finally start to use the talent at his disposal, RHM, O'Hare etc (through circumstance not choice no doubt) and they provide the missing ingredient. Chance rating = 5/10

These are the only events i can see affecting our season personally, but they all look doubtful tbh.

Any other suggestions folks??

[AstonThriller]

Xia was always going to say something, whether Bruce is going or staying, that's in his nature. The fact that it's been done in a 'cryptic' way suggests to me that something is being worked on behind the scenes that he can't fully disclose, as is the case when he tweets equations in relation to tranfers.

He might be here for the Norwich game, but if he was likely to be here for much longer than that, I think Xia would have just said so, like every other time, Bruce has come under pressure, as I say the only other time he's been cryptic, is when dealing with transfers that can't be spoken about in public, so maybe they're negotiating with another manager.

Bloody hell, now you're more positive about him leaving than I am . It's a very interesting theory though which makes sense tbh. Because I couldn't work out why Xia just didn't back the guy? Unless it's just a matter of giving him one more game? We'll see.

[NARLA24]

Lose Saturday and he has to go.
Nice big payoff for the remainder of his 5 yr deal.
Coming to a golf course near you very soon.

[Sponsored content]