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Steve Bruce Criticises his Players



Arthritic Toe

Well-known member
Nov 25, 2005
2,488
Swindon
It baffles me when managers resort to publicly criticising their players - how is that ever going to have a positive effect? Steve Bruce is now at it after their defeat last night. in summary, the players are crap but he's the solution, being so wonderful n all....

"Norwich were on the back of a tough run but we didn't put them under any pressure at all. You have got to play at a certain level if you want to play for Aston Villa and they didn't come anywhere near to reaching that.

"Having seen that I can see why the club decided to make a change and bring me in."
 




jimhigham

Je Suis Rhino
Apr 25, 2009
8,047
Woking
It baffles me when managers resort to publicly criticising their players - how is that ever going to have a positive effect? Steve Bruce is now at it after their defeat last night. in summary, the players are crap but he's the solution, being so wonderful n all....

"Norwich were on the back of a tough run but we didn't put them under any pressure at all. You have got to play at a certain level if you want to play for Aston Villa and they didn't come anywhere near to reaching that.

"Having seen that I can see why the club decided to make a change and bring me in."

With any luck Villa have had their "Dead Cat's Bounce" (apologies to Glasfryn) and will now settle back into mid-table inconsistency.
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,975
Surrey
I don't see much wrong with it to be honest, particularly as he has backed his players when they've deserved it. They were excellent against us, and he was very forthright in telling everyone as much.

So if his players can't or won't respond to some deserved criticism then I think he's entitled to wonder whether they should even be at the club.
 


Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
19,370
Worthing
You cannot argue with what he said though as it is perfectly true.

To a degree, but how long has he been there? And he's not only just noticed this and surely by now he's part of the problem?
 




Blackadder

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 6, 2003
16,122
Haywards Heath
I remember Alan Mullery criticising Graham Moseley back in the day, stating that he had cost us a few points that season with his mistakes. (We were in another relegation battle in the First Division at the time). A few of us wondered how such an outburst in the national papers, would instil confidence in our keeper.

Didn't Mark McGhee say Leon Knight was "Inept" on Harty's phone-in once? Seem to remember there were discussions as to actual word said.
 


fat old seagull

New member
Sep 8, 2005
5,239
Rural Ringmer
I don't see much wrong with it to be honest, particularly as he has backed his players when they've deserved it. They were excellent against us, and he was very forthright in telling everyone as much.

So if his players can't or won't respond to some deserved criticism then I think he's entitled to wonder whether they should even be at the club.

Or even if his Assistant should be......great to see Calderwood making his presence felt. :clap:
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
22,119
Cowfold
It baffles me when managers resort to publicly criticising their players - how is that ever going to have a positive effect? Steve Bruce is now at it after their defeat last night. in summary, the players are crap but he's the solution, being so wonderful n all....

"Norwich were on the back of a tough run but we didn't put them under any pressure at all. You have got to play at a certain level if you want to play for Aston Villa and they didn't come anywhere near to reaching that.

"Having seen that I can see why the club decided to make a change and bring me in."

Strong words certainly, but if all else has failed . . .
 




Arthritic Toe

Well-known member
Nov 25, 2005
2,488
Swindon
I don't see much wrong with it to be honest, particularly as he has backed his players when they've deserved it. They were excellent against us, and he was very forthright in telling everyone as much.

So if his players can't or won't respond to some deserved criticism then I think he's entitled to wonder whether they should even be at the club.

So criticise in private - its a sign of weak management to blast them in public in my opinion. It's basically saying, it's not my fault, its the players.
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,975
Surrey
Or even if his Assistant should be......great to see Calderwood making his presence felt. :clap:

When he left, they were 13 points behind us after our game against them (10 points nearly half way through the game). Now the gap is 17 points.


Lovely stuff.



So criticise in private - its a sign of weak management to blast them in public in my opinion. It's basically saying, it's not my fault, its the players.
I am not quite sure about that. I think if you moan at them every week then I have no argument with your point of view. But if you are the sort to publicly back your players when they do well, I think you're entitled to occasionally go public with a well deserved bollocking when they fall well short of expected standards. As I say, I agree that it won't wash if he continuously does it. Then again, he doesn't do that and Bruce is pretty well proven at this level.
 






Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
22,119
Cowfold
Villa have been inept for a long long time, goes way back before Bruce's days as we all know. Maybe public criticism is the only thing that will work. Certainly all else seems to have failed.
 


Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
Before Villa played us there were stories about them signing Kayal and Stephens.

Would you believe it but the day before they played Norwich there were stories about them signing Brady.

Pack it in Bruce. It's just desperate.
 




Captain Sensible

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
6,437
Not the real one
I understand how some people rate Bruce, yes he backs his players when they do well but does publicly criticise when they play badly. However I think he chooses the wrong moments to be critical and his latest blast at his players has an air of arrogance about it that probably won't go down well with his players. I can't imagine Hughton saying something like that. He'd talk about levels and that we weren't playing at a level required to win football matches but the guy has too much class to proclaim himself the Messiah. That's the gulf in class of our manager verses most others in Football.
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,443
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Having watched the game last night Villa seem to have too many prima donnas ..and didn't match Norwich for effort ...arrogant bunch much as i found there fans who fail to realise that currently they are just a mid table Championship side
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,429
Location Location
I can't believe Bruce actually plays Flabby Agbonlahore.

He strayed into Norwich's box last night, and the ref booked him for timewasting.
 




Blackadder

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 6, 2003
16,122
Haywards Heath




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