Bruce wont be sacked by Quinn but it remains to be seen if Short is as impressed by the failings AGAIN this season despite the injury list. He will have a near impossible task to show me I was right to back him 2 years ago and even a good start next campaign will have me waiting for his usual capitulation in the second half of the season again. Bruce is more of a liability now in my eyes, than the asset I believed him to be 2 years ago..
Assume that you're talking about Bruce? He'll sleep well. If he got the push off us, someone else would give him a job, and he's not short of money, now is he?
I think the man has lots of self pride and thats why he wants to stay and get it right. I understand why many have lost faith and want him out but when I see what I reguard as unfair attacks I always go to defend, not clever thing to do but its what I do anyway, can easily end up on the wrong side that way. Like others have said Bruce is not short of cash so why is he staying and taking the flack, why did he react th way he did when that second goal was scored aginst Bolton, IMHO, because he has pride and he cares. So my friends, by all means argue why he should be sacked or should walk but be fair, he gives his all, others must decide if his all is enough but non can argue he short changes us on effort and committment, IMO.
Given that he became manager of our club when it was in the best of shapes financially, stadium, profile and foundations he has nowhere to hide in my opinion. Unlike every other manager up to Keane, he took on a club already in the top flight; with a wealthy ambitious owner; in a top quality stadium; with the base of a good squad already in place and a chairman ANY manager would die for. Only an incompetent person could have failed to take us forward and yet for 2 seasons running (and a huge investment) we have avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth twice. We have endured 2 pitiful 2nd half embarrassing and unprofessional collapses, that made us a laughing stock in the EPL and a hatful of excuses. After 2 years, far from moving forward there are failing attendances, unrest in the boardroom and a totally split fan base on his future? We may debate the virtues of the man himself until the cows come home and I have no question he is a passionate, honest and committed manager. What I question with some justification is his ability or right to remain as manager going forward.
I can't understand why everyone is so against him? In January (I think it was) you were 6th in the league, playing decent football and with a good chance of Europe, much to my dismay. Surely you can't blame him for the decision to sell Bent, or the horrendous run of injuries you've had. He's down to picking a team from next to nowt.
He is the manager isn't he? Did I just wake up and miss something? If Bent wanted to go in August then Bruce should have begun making plans accordingly back then. If he didn't want to sell him he should have said so and made him stop until the summer. If he has allowed the boardroom to undermine his position and force the Bent deal through, he just is a weak feckless manager who has no place in our club. If he allowed Bent to go without a replacement he is incompetent. If he though he could survive without a replacement he is dangerous. The injuries have had a part to play but 1 win in 11 games could be bettered by a pub team. Blackpool have spent about ã4.65 this season and have had injuries but ultimately, have only just failed to overtake us in the last 2 games. Bruce had a fortune to spend. 6th at Christmas and doing well in no way excuses or balances near relegation in April/May. Bruce has failed with the best hand any manager has been dealt in my lifetime. He isn't the man to take us forward at all.
Appreciate the constructive response, if not the content. I'm sure Bruce would have rather kept Bent than sell him, the board forced it on him surely? Probably another year, then shout for his head, in my eyes he didn't have much of a chance after the new year.
If only life was that easy, good thing is the record can be played over and over again but it will be Short who decides and for as long as he decides its Bruce I will give Bruce the benefit of the doubt and my support.
Of course it will be Short to make that decision so why keep repeating the obvious mate? This is a forum for debate amongst FANS is it not? We are debating the pros and cons of the manager but whilst only one mans opinion may be key, it shouldn't stop us from speculating otherwise the forum becomes a big white elephant?
Cest it is hard to keep up with you, in August it's praise of the new signings, October it's conspiricy theories, January it's the dawn of a new era, and May it's bruce out, doom gloom etc. I know stats can be twisted to support any argument for example , you say 1 win in 11 ? I say 2 wins in 4, you say no progress made which at first glance that may look obvious but if you widen the picture it looks a bit different, I think if you look at getting into the top 8 as an indicator we have made massive improvement. Last year we finished 17 points from 8th as we sit today we are 4 points away. On the day we "escaped relegation" it was the same day the team in 10th "escaped relegation". This season we have seen points been shared out like never before, it took 86 points to win the league last year this year it took 77. the gap between top and bottom is as narrow as it has ever been. I am not saying well done to Steve Bruce for the downturn in recent results but I am saying it is not as simple as that, you know that with a full strength squad we were very difficuly to beat and played some decent football. I still say the worst thing to happen to us (in a strange way) was beating Chelsea at the bridge as it raised everyones expectations to a level beyond our reach. Cest I know that if we have a decent start next season you will be praising the team, manager, chairman and owner as will most of us. But if we have a poor start I guess we can all say Cest was right.