Re: Bruce stays or Bruce goes. All in here thread.

[andrew24561]

this time last year I feared we would go straight through the championship into league 1 so finishing mid table is progress in my opinion, ..........................yes we really were that bad!!!!!
next season I'm expecting a prolonged promotion push,...onwards and upwards.

[Fpuppys]

I'm not sure on this..but is he not on a 1 year rolling contract? I read somewhere he was, which will end in October 2017 unless we renew his contract, I have every reason to believe our new board and the good Dr will make the right decision's regarding his future employment or departure when the time is right, finally I hope the board also have a big hand in the transfer window this summer and not rely solely on Bruce........let alone anyone on here (No Offence).

[deadbuzzardalive]

I can't remember where, but Wyness explained that his rolling contract doesn't mean that it ends in October; rather it renews itself each day so it always has a year left to run, meaning it never actually ends unless he's fired or resigns.

[The Utterer]

I think we have to accept that Bruce will be here next season until we can see whether we are on an upward curve or not. I am still ok with it though share the frustration at the crap football we have had to endure this season. I am in the "lets see whether he can bring it together over the summer" camp. If not then i am sure Wyness & co will act soon enough.

[NARLA24]

All i can say is thank McGrath this season is over. Not impressed at all but lets see what happens during the summer, pre season and the first ten games next season.

[Boldfinger]

he has done the job that was needed, he settled the ship.
Now with a couple of additions in the right areas and with a pre-season with the squad, next season we need to hit the floor running.
Bruce is not a world beater in my opinion but he does know this league and deserves a chance. so he has my unwavering support for next season ( well until xmas at least :-) )

[AstonThriller]

All i can say is thank McGrath  this season is over. Not impressed at all but lets see what happens during the summer, pre season and the first ten games next season.

And this is the problem. We're going into next season "hoping" that Bruce turns this crap form around instead of expecting that he will. DR X was preaching about "stability" again yesterday but IMO the bottom line should be results and performance. And on both counts Bruce has come up short. The number one aim next season should be to win the title, fullstop. So this "give him ten games" stuff doesn't sit right with me because if we have another terrible start it's gonna kill our season like it did this last one.

Like others I think he will be sticking around...but lord knows the man had better get a move on in the transfer window and do some incredible business. Quality additions will hopefully be able to override Bruce's negative tactics and get us over the line.

[deadbuzzardalive]

It might seem harsh but I'd only give him the first six games, and expect him to have us in and around the play-offs and within touching distance of the automatic places.

After ten games last season we were ten points from automatic promotion, and seven points from the play-offs, it's not just points we'd lose either on those above us either, but also confidence, we can't really afford to be playing catch up like that again.

[NARLA24]

It might seem harsh but I'd only give him the first six games, and expect him to have us in and around the play-offs and within touching distance of the automatic places.

After ten games last season we were ten points from automatic promotion, and seven points from the play-offs, it's not just points we'd lose either on those above us either, but also confidence, we can't really afford to be playing catch up like that again.

Lets all remember that huge amounts of cash the three teams getting relegated from the Prem will get. Big buying power will surely make them favorites to go for automatic promotion.

[deadbuzzardalive]

To be honest I'm not even sure that the teams relegated will be spending more than us, or at least not significant amount more. We've still got parachute payments, plus the money that Recon are allowed to put in, then there's the money we'll make from player sales and freeing up wages.

Besides even if we were to only spend say £10M, I'd still be expecting us to challenge for automatic promotoin, because that would still amount to us having spent around £80M in the last year on some of the best players in the championship.

[NARLA24]

To be honest I'm not even sure that the teams relegated will be spending more than us, or at least not significant amount more. We've still got parachute payments, plus the money that Recon are allowed to put in, then there's the money we'll make from player sales and freeing up wages.

Besides even if we were to only spend say £10M, I'd still be expecting us to challenge for automatic promotoin, because that would still amount to us having spent around £80M in the last year on some of the best players in the championship.

Agreed but this is where Bruce has to improve the quality of our football and that was not evident this season at all.

[smetro]

All i can say is thank McGrath  this season is over. Not impressed at all but lets see what happens during the summer, pre season and the first ten games next season.

And this is the problem. We're going into next season "hoping" that Bruce turns this crap form around instead of expecting that he will. DR X was preaching about "stability" again yesterday but IMO the bottom line should be results and performance. And on both counts Bruce has come up short. The number one aim next season should be to win the title, fullstop. So this "give him ten games" stuff doesn't sit right with me because if we have another terrible start it's gonna kill our season like it did this last one.

Like others I think he will be sticking around...but lord knows the man had better get a move on in the transfer window and do some incredible business. Quality additions will hopefully be able to override Bruce's negative tactics and get us over the line.

I agree there are reasons for concern. To my mind Bruce hasn't done bad enough to be sacked. I suppose the question is do you act on those warning signs - or do you look at what he started with and his past record in this division.

I don't really see any other available candidates - we would be bringing another hopeful, for the combination of those reasons Bruce gets a while longer for me.

[Dions_Bald_Head]

It might seem harsh but I'd only give him the first six games, and expect him to have us in and around the play-offs and within touching distance of the automatic places.

After ten games last season we were ten points from automatic promotion, and seven points from the play-offs, it's not just points we'd lose either on those above us either, but also confidence, we can't really afford to be playing catch up like that again.

Lets all remember that huge amounts of cash the three teams getting relegated from the Prem will get. Big buying power will surely make them favorites to go for automatic promotion.

I might've thought the same about us last summer. What I've learnt is that it's not so much about buying power but what's going on at the club - ie why the club was relegated. Comparing us with Newcastle, we had everything going for us in terms of resources but the reason we were relegated is that we weren't just playing bad badly but we were a total mess behind the scenes too. Newcastle didn't have the same issues to address, even keeping the manager so the continuity meant that they started the season on better footing. It's what I desperately want for us going thru to September which is the main reason for sticking with Bruce.

I've tried to pay as little attention to the prem as possible so I don't know the state of the clubs coming down, but I'd say that the ones that aren't battling internal problems are going to be the bigger threat.

[DelboyVilla]

We already have a squad that is top 2 standard regardless of who comes down with Blunderland or Boro so all we need now is a manager who can tactically set this side up to win a few games?

Bruce is not that manager!

Xia can talk about stability but if stability is mid table championship he can stick it!

[smetro]

To be honest I'm not even sure that the teams relegated will be spending more than us, or at least not significant amount more. We've still got parachute payments, plus the money that Recon are allowed to put in, then there's the money we'll make from player sales and freeing up wages.

Besides even if we were to only spend say £10M, I'd still be expecting us to challenge for automatic promotoin, because that would still amount to us having spent around £80M in the last year on some of the best players in the championship.

Agreed but this is where Bruce has to improve the quality of our football and that was not evident this season at all.

Im not really sure he does need to improve the quality of football - not to any massive extent. Brighton didn't look any special - in fact I've not seen a great away performance at VP this season. Bruce dropped a major clanger with Sam Johnstone - I think with a decent keeper we would have collected a few more points in Jan.

I don't think Bruce will ever deliver 'sexy football' - I don't think there is much of it in the championship. We have a reasonably tight defence - and kjodia up front who can put the ball in the net. We need midfielders who can chip in with a few goals , a better keeper, and a striker to play alongside kjodia - I also think we were at our best when Andre Green was in the team.

[deadbuzzardalive]

I actually think addressing the quality of our football, being more attack minded in games, and getting the players we already have to work as a cohesive unit, is more important to us having a good season than signing new players.

Which is why I thought the most important change to make would be a new manager, but that's not going to happen now. But I really think we should be looking to do the next best thing, which would be to bring in someone to help with the coaching, I guess Phelan would be the obvious shout, but not sure how realistic that would be, but we definitely need to change something, besides just throwing money at the problem.

Round actually talked about moving away from having just a manager and an assistant, and bringing in speciallist coaches for every aspect of the game, like one for throw-ins, one for taking corners, shooting and so on, whether that's been implemented I don't know. I know Brentford do it from reading up on Dean Smith recently.

[AstonThriller]

Lets all remember that huge amounts of cash the three teams getting relegated from the Prem will get. Big buying power will surely make them favorites to go for automatic promotion.

Sunderland and Hull's owners want to sell, so I very much doubt that they will be splashing big amounts of cash around. It's the equivalent of Randy still being here for this season. Does anyone really think he would have spent like Tony? No chance. Boro might spend but again they've currently got no manager and will lose some key players next season too like Negredo, Gibson etc.

The big threat to us will most likely come from Boro and Norwich tbh. And Fulham if they don't go up. I don't see Reading, Huddersfield, Leeds etc having another season like this. Teams will have cottoned on to what they did this season and learn from it.

[AstonThriller]

What's interesting is if Boro's new manager wants his own staff then Mike Phelan and Steve Agknew could end up being at of work. Two coaches who helped get Hull promoted a year ago.

[deadbuzzardalive]

I didn't realise Phelan was at Middlesbrough.

The daft thing is, I know someone who's out of work, knows a lot of our players and would make a good coach... Steve Clarke. Under him and Di Matteo we were actually playing good football at times, maybe him and Bruce would make a good team... Doubt he'd come though after we turned him down for the manager's job.

[DelboyVilla]

We have midfielders who score goals? Lansbury and Hourihane?

We have a proven championship strikeforce in Kodjia, McCognac and Hogan?

And we will never get out this league without playing better football!

[deadbuzzardalive]

Trying to be positive but realistically I think sticking with Bruce will cost us dearly. I doubt he's going to suddenly change over the summer, he'll sign a bunch of players and hope that it works out. The decision to stick with him actually has me doubting those running the club with the exception of Xia.

[The Utterer]

I think Wolves, possibly Derby, Leeds, Boro & Norwich will be amongst those challenging next season. Not sure about Sunderland although they could feature too to some extent if they keep their better players. Hopefully we are right in the mix too of course.

[DelboyVilla]

Well depending on how Udderfield do then Wagner may be attainable?

Also Monk is unsure of his position at Leeds?

Gaultier is leaving St Ettienne after 7 years?

Rodgers must be bored silly in that one horse race porridge league?

Ranieri is would a look?

Karanka is free?

Dean Smith is gettable from Brentford?

Any of these would IMO be an improvement on Bruce!

[deadbuzzardalive]

it doesn't matter who's available Bruce isn't going anywhere, Xia has all but confired that. He's already in contact with other managers with regards to signings. I think the better question would be which coaches are available that could improve us, but even that's probably futile, as more than likely we don't have any intention of changing that either.

I think we've just got to hope that Bruce can get it right over the summer, and things will improve once the season begins, and if not that the club take swift action so we don't drop too far off the chasing pack.

[DelboyVilla]

it doesn't matter who's available Bruce isn't going anywhere, Xia has all but confired that. He's already in contact with other managers with regards to signings. I think the better question would be which coaches are available that could improve us, but even that's probably futile, as more than likely we don't have any intention of changing that either.

I think we've just got to hope that Bruce can get it right over the summer, and things will improve once the season begins, and if not that the club take swift action so we don't drop too far off the chasing pack.

I know and that's another season in the Champoinship then?

What will happen is the first 10 to 12 games we will be poor with Bruce's 'tactics'. Xia will get the shits sack him and we end up with another farce of a manager search. Then we appoint Curbishley and write next year off.

It is easy to make the change now!

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