[seteefeet]

Not sure if this is because Vals football was so bad, but having watched the changes this week and the interviews with Bruce, I actually feel excited. If we can get some footballing nous in the board and we have a manager who will at least respond to changes in a game then it can only be a positive.

We’re not miles away, we have three players on the books suddenly who can bang in the goals and if we can bring Grady back then we have a great chance.

Come on Albion!

From what I’ve heard he was liked as a person but hated for his methods. Not only by players but, more importantly, coaches.
This gives me hope that Bruce’s experience will work pretty much straight away.

[RedHead_Baggie]

https://twitter.com/DoodWBA/status/1489544812890148867

1 thing to note. If Bruce does get us promoted he gets a lovely 2.7M bonus and triggers another 1 year deal on top of his 18 month contract. #WBA
Quote Tweet
DOOD
@DoodWBA
 Â· 3h
Bruce and his 18 month contract.

There's a break clause in the deal when the season ends for us both to parts way's with no compensation needed to be paid to Bruce.
It's a win win for us, he does well then we'd keep him on.
If he underachieving we'd cancel his contract. #WBA

Is this essentially saying that it is a 6 month deal with a possible year option then?

If there is a break clause in the contract from either side then we will probably be in a similar position to last year when Allardyce didn't want to stay on. This was probably due to the transfer budget which will be the same issue this summer as well regardless of which league we end up in.

Unless I missed it the club didn't mention this at all.

[ttree30]

Shows how bad things got here. It's a fresh start now anyway. Let's see how we get on.

It really does show what a state we’ve reached gazberg. It’s not a great squad, but it’s been playing well below its limitations.

Good coaches make teams better - let’s see if Steve can do it, as he clearly has elsewhere.

I wish him all the luck in the world. 🤞

[ttree30]

From what I’ve heard he was liked as a person but hated for his methods. Not only by players but, more importantly, coaches.
This gives me hope that Bruce’s experience will work pretty much straight away.

If we’re feeling a huge sense of relief it’s not too much of a stretch to think the players are too. They’re just people in the end, and it’s been a nightmare for months.

I can’t imagine coming in to training has been a barrel of laughs or something to put a spring in your step.

Just having people smiling and positive lifts the entire place and gives us a much better chance. Steve Bruce will do that as a minimum, and hopefully of course a good deal more.

[Baggies]

Have felt fairly disengaged with Albion the last week or so and haven't really felt like posting too many my opinions on the latest developments.

I'm not sold on the Bruce appointment. It's yet more evidence we are a club who just don't cast their net very far, always fishing in the same small pool. I've seen a growing number of fans of other clubs commenting sarcastically how Bruce to Albion is such a perfect fit, showing how our reputation as a footballing team over decades has gone with the hires of Hodgson, Pulis, Allardyce and now Bruce as well as the fact we are seen as the archetypal short sighted English club, with the same hires from the old boys network.

I'm also very unhappy with the hiring of Alex Bruce to the coaching staff, continuing Steve's awful reputation for nepotism when it comes to his son. After getting rid of another nepotism appointment in Xu Ke, it's a shame to see us jump straight back in.

In terms of the rationale for the hire, Gourlay can understandably point to a reasonable record at Championship level. His two best spells in club football came at Hull and Blues who are similar beasts to us and he does boast 4 promotions with those 2 clubs which is impressive, but he did a poor job at Villa with a side containing Grealish, McGinn, Abraham, El Ghazi and Hourihane and so he will need to go back a few years to remember how he managed ti get sides promoted.

Crossing my fingers it works out and he gets us back to the orem and into a saleable position. He has a decent record of keeping sides up I guess. Hard to feel too enthusiastic about the direction we have gone in though.

[AlbionFan]

I can’t vouch for any of what follows, it was posted by a guy on tweeter called DOOD.

Bruce and his 18 month contract.

There's a break clause in the deal when the season ends for us both to parts way's with no compensation needed to be paid to Bruce. It's a win win for us, he does well then we'd keep him on. If he underachieving we'd cancel his contract. #WBA

1 thing to note. If Bruce does get us promoted he gets a lovely 2.7M bonus and triggers another 1 year deal on top of his 18 month contract. #WBA

[KYA]

Have felt fairly disengaged with Albion the last week or so and haven't really felt like posting too many my opinions on the latest developments.

I'm not sold on the Bruce appointment. It's yet more evidence we are a club who just don't cast their net very far, always fishing in the same small pool. I've seen a growing number of fans of other clubs commenting sarcastically how Bruce to Albion is such a perfect fit, showing how our reputation as a footballing team over decades has gone with the hires of Hodgson, Pulis, Allardyce and now Bruce as well as the fact we are seen as the archetypal short sighted English club, with the same hires from the old boys network.

I'm also very unhappy with the hiring of Alex Bruce to the coaching staff, continuing Steve's awful reputation for nepotism when it comes to his son. After getting rid of another nepotism appointment in Xu Ke, it's a shame to see us jump straight back in.

In terms of the rationale for the hire, Gourlay can understandably point to a reasonable record at Championship level. His two best spells in club football came at Hull and Blues who are similar beasts to us and he does boast 4 promotions with those 2 clubs which is impressive, but he did a poor job at Villa with a side containing Grealish, McGinn, Abraham, El Ghazi and Hourihane and so he will need to go back a few years to remember how he managed ti get sides promoted.

Crossing my fingers it works out and he gets us back to the orem and into a saleable position. He has a decent record of keeping sides up I guess. Hard to feel too enthusiastic about the direction we have gone in though.

That was really depressing, personally, I couldn't give a #### what other fans say especially fans of clubs who are known for being deluded.
 I switch off from things that really annoy or irritate me maybe you should give yourself a break from football.

[AlbionFan]

If anyone missed it, or doesn’t have Sky Sports, the press conference with Steve and Ron can be viewed if you follow the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HigJBVANIU

[Baggies]

That was really depressing, personally, I couldn't give a #### what other fans say especially fans of clubs who are known for being deluded.
 I switch off from things that really annoy or irritate me maybe you should give yourself a break from football.

Thanks for the advice KYA

[Adamstv]

Thank you. I was beginning to think I was on the wrong forum what with all the positivity brimming to the surface. Yep, definitely in the right place..... .

Really made me smile this comment. Have to say I’ve liked Bruce ever since I met him at Birmingham airport and he was quite willing to “chew the cud” even though it was his holiday (as was it mine) and chat football. Came over as a thoroughly decent guy and I appreciated that.

[Standaman]

Have felt fairly disengaged with Albion the last week or so and haven't really felt like posting too many my opinions on the latest developments.

I'm not sold on the Bruce appointment. It's yet more evidence we are a club who just don't cast their net very far, always fishing in the same small pool. I've seen a growing number of fans of other clubs commenting sarcastically how Bruce to Albion is such a perfect fit, showing how our reputation as a footballing team over decades has gone with the hires of Hodgson, Pulis, Allardyce and now Bruce as well as the fact we are seen as the archetypal short sighted English club, with the same hires from the old boys network.

I'm also very unhappy with the hiring of Alex Bruce to the coaching staff, continuing Steve's awful reputation for nepotism when it comes to his son. After getting rid of another nepotism appointment in Xu Ke, it's a shame to see us jump straight back in.

In terms of the rationale for the hire, Gourlay can understandably point to a reasonable record at Championship level. His two best spells in club football came at Hull and Blues who are similar beasts to us and he does boast 4 promotions with those 2 clubs which is impressive, but he did a poor job at Villa with a side containing Grealish, McGinn, Abraham, El Ghazi and Hourihane and so he will need to go back a few years to remember how he managed ti get sides promoted.

Crossing my fingers it works out and he gets us back to the prem and into a saleable position. He has a decent record of keeping sides up I guess. Hard to feel too enthusiastic about the direction we have gone in though.

I share many of these concerns and it does feel like the last time the fans chased a manager out the club Alan Irvine and we went for the safe option to secure a short term aim with the motivation being the same i.e. selling the club. Unfortunately we are still picking through the debris of that decision 7 years on.

Again the current mood around the fan base seems to be generally welcoming but largely because he is not Val.

Before I go further let me state Bruce is a thoroughly decent man and there is hardly anyone who has worked with him has got a bad word to say about him, which is no mean achievement given that he has been a manager for 20 odd years. It also makes the abuse that was meted out by the Geordies particularly unpleasant, basically they were kicking the pet Labrador.   Yes, it might have been chewing your slippers but how can you be cruel to the poor animal?

In terms of style I am not sure we have a style other than when we have teams that pass the ball particularly out from the back half the fans have a dose of the vapours whenever an opposition player is within two yards of the ball. Yet when we have a direct style of play it condemned for being long ball dross. In Bruce's case we are going be a lot closer to latter than the former and I am hard pressed to see how this will be much easier on the eye than Valball.

However by not being Val jollying up the players and not overburdening them with complex tactics combined with the talent advantage the squad has over the rest of the division we might snag a play-off spot and well who knows. I don't know where it goes after that but given the break clause in his contract it might only be a short term engagement.

Steve Bruce is squarely in the club's and fans comfort zone. But to progress as a club whether or not that is on self sustaining basis we have to break out of that with a longer term vision and ride out short term variance. I suspect we aren't going to get there under the current ownership.

[baggiejohn]

I share many of these concerns and it does feel like the last time the fans chased a manager out the club Alan Irvine and we went for the safe option to secure a short term aim with the motivation being the same i.e. selling the club. Unfortunately we are still picking through the debris of that decision 7 years on.

Again the current mood around the fan base seems to be generally welcoming but largely because he is not Val.

Before I go further let me state Bruce is a thoroughly decent man and there is hardly anyone who has worked with him has got a bad word to say about him, which is no mean achievement given that he has been a manager for 20 odd years. It also makes the abuse that was meted out by the Geordies particularly unpleasant, basically they were kicking the pet Labrador.   Yes, it might have been chewing your slippers but how can you be cruel to the poor animal?

In terms of style I am not sure we have a style other than when we have teams that pass the ball particularly out from the back half the fans have a dose of the vapours whenever an opposition player is within two yards of the ball. Yet when we have a direct style of play it condemned for being long ball dross. In Bruce's case we are going be a lot closer to latter than the former and I am hard pressed to see how this will be much easier on the eye than Valball.

However by not being Val jollying up the players and not overburdening them with complex tactics combined with the talent advantage the squad has over the rest of the division we might snag a play-off spot and well who knows. I don't know where it goes after that but given the break clause in his contract it might only be a short term engagement.

Steve Bruce is squarely in the club's and fans comfort zone. But to progress as a club whether or not that is on self sustaining basis we have to break out of that with a longer term vision and ride out short term variance. I suspect we aren't going to get there under the current ownership.

Interesting viewpoint Stan.

I don't know a lot about Ron Gourlay, but he is an experienced football administrator & from that point of view, I don't think it's a fair comparison to the Burton/Irvine period. Terry (God bless him) was the polar opposite to a commercial man in a football setting, a good coach, but never a sporting director.

I took it from Gourlay's comments about the way football works today, that he has a  longer term vision, it will be revealing what he has to say to the Assembly meeting on Monday.

[ttree30]

I share many of these concerns and it does feel like the last time the fans chased a manager out the club Alan Irvine and we went for the safe option to secure a short term aim with the motivation being the same i.e. selling the club. Unfortunately we are still picking through the debris of that decision 7 years on.

Again the current mood around the fan base seems to be generally welcoming but largely because he is not Val.

Before I go further let me state Bruce is a thoroughly decent man and there is hardly anyone who has worked with him has got a bad word to say about him, which is no mean achievement given that he has been a manager for 20 odd years. It also makes the abuse that was meted out by the Geordies particularly unpleasant, basically they were kicking the pet Labrador.   Yes, it might have been chewing your slippers but how can you be cruel to the poor animal?

In terms of style I am not sure we have a style other than when we have teams that pass the ball particularly out from the back half the fans have a dose of the vapours whenever an opposition player is within two yards of the ball. Yet when we have a direct style of play it condemned for being long ball dross. In Bruce's case we are going be a lot closer to latter than the former and I am hard pressed to see how this will be much easier on the eye than Valball.

However by not being Val jollying up the players and not overburdening them with complex tactics combined with the talent advantage the squad has over the rest of the division we might snag a play-off spot and well who knows. I don't know where it goes after that but given the break clause in his contract it might only be a short term engagement.

Steve Bruce is squarely in the club's and fans comfort zone. But to progress as a club whether or not that is on self sustaining basis we have to break out of that with a longer term vision and ride out short term variance. I suspect we aren't going to get there under the current ownership.

Some really great points there Stan - enjoyed reading that. Thanks for posting.

I’m not sure about “long term visions” in football because everything always seems to be about “now” - I’m struggling to think of any clubs that stick to any managers if they don’t win. For example Manchester United have sacked managers as frequently as everyone else since Sir Alex because they don’t win often enough. Bournemouth got rid of Eddie Howe when they started losing too much. We’re the same as every other club as far as I can see.

I’d be really interested in your thoughts on what sort of vision you’d like to see and how it could be carried out, especially in our context.

Thanks again. Great post.

[LoxleyBaggie]

Bruce mentioned in his website interview that he had previously worked with five of the squad. I presume he means Townsend and Livermore (Hull) Johnson (Villa) Reach (Wednesday) and Carroll (Newcastle).  More than I thought, initially. Hopefully accelerates his bond with the players, although I suspect that will be one of his strengths. Doubt he worked too much with Townsend. Curious what he got out of Reach. Wednesday certainly got a bounce with him in charge.

[darbolina]

Watching Albion over the years the times we’ve been ‘progressive’ (new ideas different from the pack) has been coupled with success on the pitch. If Bruce can end the season successfully (play offs and some much better performances from our better players ) , he will have done the job we need.

We’ve had a few years of gradual decline and we need to stem that wound in the short term. Then we can begin a rebuild. I think Bruce could begin the rebuild with a structure behind him for the next 18 months. We just need to learn the lesson from Pulis and not give him too long. If we’d have cut short Pulis reign at the right time we’d probably be in the premier with a decent team.

We must get a DoF and a football structure back at the club before we consider moving forward in the my view. Let’s look at what worked pre Pulis as a model for what could work again

[tambag]

Just watched the video of the squad training yesterday and I am sure I heard Steve say when we have the ball take a touch and enjoy the ball. Far cry from the previous coaching !

[TAFKATMNo1Fan]

Just watched the video of the squad training yesterday and I am sure I heard Steve say when we have the ball take a touch and enjoy the ball. Far cry from the previous coaching !

He did! 

[AlbionFan]

Another Albion fan on Twitter posted

“Just watched Steve Bruces 1st training session and 1 thing stood out to me straight away Bruce told all the lads to "take a touch" "enjoy the ball" "look after the ball" and "pick a pass" hopefully no more hit and hope aimless forward balls hopefully we play with a purpose! #wba”

[SmethDan]

It was probably Tambag    .

[tambag]

It was probably Tambag    .

It wasn't me on Twitter ! 

[Groovephil]

Wish we’d have had a game this weekend, waiting until weds just adds more pressure.

Have any players come out about the appointment yet?

[SmethDan]

Wish we’d have had a game this weekend, waiting until weds just adds more pressure.

Have any players come out about the appointment yet?

I know he's meant to be a 'nice' bloke but I can't see him turning anyone gay with that face and body chap  .

[ex coseley kid]

I know he's meant to be a 'nice' bloke but I can't see him turning anyone gay with that face and body chap  .

I quite agree, but if he gets us up.....

[Pelada]

Slightly indirectly related so apologies but if you want some context about fan bases and backing managers, Leicester City are beginning to call for Brendan Rogers head!

Couple of nearly Champions League qualifications and an FA Cup win and one stuttering season and they’re going in for him!!!

What do we ask of Steve- promotion and a Premier League title would pass in 18 months… right? 

[The Black Pearl]

It's not like this team can not pass a football, at times, albeit few, they have played some great football.
I'm looking forward to better days.