Three reasons why Aston Villa senior man is still the perfect fit
COMMENT By Matt Farr
Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich was yet another nail in the coffin for Aston Villa’s promotion hopes, and signalled a continued free-fall for the club in the Championship.
Without a win since Boxing Day (seven games), and 16th in the league, things are looking pretty grim for the midlands giants.
Understandably, criticism has been fired the way of manager Steve Bruce, who has ultimately failed to lift the club out of their slump following his arrival in October.
However, Football Insider seeks to convince the anti-Bruce brigade that all is not lost, with three reasons why the current Villa chief is the best man for the job.
Promotion pedigree
One of the main reasons why Aston Villa turned to Bruce in the first-place was his promotion pedigree.
The 56-year-old has proven consistent at taking sides from the Championship to the Premier League during his managerial career, and the Villa fans must grant him the time to work his magic with their beloved club.
It is fair to say that there has been little improvement in the club’s league position since Bruce replaced Roberto Di Matteo as manager, but he has only had since October to get things right.
Bruce twice took Birmingham to the Premier League during a near six-year long tenure, and more recently took Hull to the top-flight – again on two occasions.
He has also had success with keeping sides in the top-flight, ensuring Wigan’s survival during the 2007-08 season.
His proven track record lends nicely to Aston Villa’s current predicament, and now that he has had an opportunity to put his own stamp on the squad, he must be given the necessary time to fulfil his duties.
Chopping-and-changing will get the club nowhere, and whether it is next season instead of this term, Bruce will maintain his record. He was, and remains, a solid and dependable appointment.
Bruce not just to blame
Bruce is the one that has come under fire in recent weeks, but the players must also take their fair share of the blame.
They are the ones that have failed to perform on the pitch, and Bruce’s influence can only go so far. He inherited a bog-standard squad from Di Matteo and his predecessor Remi Garde, and only now has he been able to make his desired changes.
While last month’s transfer window splurge has yet to pay dividends in the club’s results and form, Bruce’s new-look squad will in time make the desired impact. On paper, he still has one of the best squads in the division, and we will see that in the coming months – provided that the players put the effort in.
Whether it be taking their chances in front of goal, or cutting out the costly – and avoidable – defensive errors, the players have a big role to play in turning their form around; so it’s not just a question of Bruce’s so-called ‘inability’ to lead the team.
Personality
He admitted himself after the Ipswich defeat that it was time to ‘batten down the hatches and face the flak‘, but Bruce will no doubt come out of their poor form relatively unscathed.
There have been times this season where he has had his patience tested, most recently with the Ross McCormack ‘gate-gate’ saga, but Bruce remains an approachable and friendly manager.
In many of their previous managers, Aston Villa have had not had such qualities at their disposal, and it ultimately ended in them failing to control the dressing room.
Tim Sherwood, for example, came across as fairly arrogant, and remember how things turned out for him. Bruce will need to re-connect with many of the fans after their recent poor form, but he has the personality to do so.
He has the modesty to accept when things aren’t going right for his team, and with the continued backing of the club board, is the best possible long-term solution for Aston Villa.
In other Aston Villa news, Tony Xia may have worried fans after making this honest admission on Twitter after the defeat to Ipswich.
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