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Steve Bruce: Aston Villa boss says he is 'right man' to turn club's poor form around

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments165

John Terry
John Terry joined Aston Villa on a one-year deal in the summer but has yet to see his new side win a league game

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has said his side have had "an awful" start to the season, but is hopeful he will be given the chance to turn it around.

The Villans slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Reading on Tuesday and have just one point from their opening three games.

"I am the right man for the job, my record in the Championship tells me that," said Bruce.

"I'm under no illusion, we're judged by results. Hopefully I'm given the time to do that and turn it round."

He added: "Give me until the end of the window. We've had an awful start, that's all it is. I'm not going to beat myself up about it because there's still a long, long way to go."

Bruce, appointed as Roberto di Matteo's successor in October 2016, has won promotion to the top flight four times in his managerial career.

Villa have won just four of 43 away league games since beating Bournemouth in the Premier League on the opening day of the 2015-16 season.

Their poor record continued on Tuesday after Glenn Whelan's own goal and a Mo Barrow strike meant that Conor Hourihane's late goal was merely a consolation for the visitors.

The display, four days after a 3-0 defeat at Cardiff City, was met with an angry reaction by the travelling Villa fans and Bruce said their response was understandable.

"The results aren't what the fans expect and rightly so," he said. "I can understand their frustration, they pay their hard-earned money to see their team perform.

"I understand the booing, but my message to the fans is I've been here before and done it with other clubs in this division.

"Whether or not I'm given that time to do so is not for me to answer, but I sincerely hope so."

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165 comments

  • Comment posted by gareth442, at 06:44 16 Aug 2017

    Big mistake signing John Terry, most likely on a hefty wage - not a great player any more and a not the sort of character you'd want to present to young players as a example of what they should aspire to become.

  • Comment posted by User0706664498, at 08:55 16 Aug 2017

    From what I can see the whole club hasn't realised that it's a Championship level side now. Until they realise that, roll their sleeves up and lose the 'we should be beating teams like that' attitude (like Newcastle did last year), Villa are staying down. Promotion isn't just about a large fan base - ask Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds, Derby etc.

  • Comment posted by Werewolf-Therewolf, at 08:48 16 Aug 2017

    Yes, definitely Bruce is the right man for the Villa job. Yours sincerely, a Wolves supporter.

  • Comment posted by christof, at 07:47 16 Aug 2017

    Just goes to show Terry is over rated and poison, just like he has been with England! Complete waste of money, if you ask me!

  • Comment posted by JimH, at 08:32 16 Aug 2017

    To everyone saying this is a poor start to the season. It's not. Villa have been rotten for the last 40 odd games under Bruce.

  • Comment posted by RallyRay, at 09:19 16 Aug 2017

    Terry looks like the weak link to be fair! Incredible how premier league teams can carry poor players when they are far past their best! The championship takes no prisoners, and has shown up many past 'so called' legends!! Terry's not the 1st, and won't be the last!

  • Comment posted by sirAntonFerdinand, at 08:43 16 Aug 2017

    He wasted millions of pounds and destroyed the best side we had for years at Sunderland. He started the rot. Everywhere he goes he blows millions and leaves the club in a hell of a state. Classic chequebook manger but seems to be a media darling.

  • Comment posted by Jamie, at 09:31 16 Aug 2017

    He's had over 40 games and two windows to build his team, and we have gotten significantly worse. No identity, negative tactics, second half substitutions which beggar belief. With the resources we have available, we should easily be pushing for automatic promotion. Nothing I have seen from Bruce so far makes me think that is remotely possible under his leadership.

  • Comment posted by User0487850496, at 09:38 16 Aug 2017

    JT likely affecting team morale - watch your wives, lads!

  • Comment posted by PW, at 06:36 16 Aug 2017

    Villa were many bookies' early favourites for promotion. We're great on paper in all departments - training facilities, players, manager, fans. But I can't shake the feeling that some heart is missing from the club and has been for the previous 2-3 seasons. Without this identity, we're not a team just a collection of able individuals. A Ron Saunders, Brian Little or Andy Gray is needed.

  • Comment posted by Emile Heskey for England Captain, at 11:06 16 Aug 2017

    So.

    We said it was our chairman, we got rid of him.
    We said it was our (various) managers, we got rid of them.
    We said it was our former players, we got rid of them.
    We said it was our new players, we got rid of them.

    We're running out of scapegoats.

  • Comment posted by Nancy Spain, at 09:21 16 Aug 2017

    Newcastle took a few games to get going last year, so a bit early to write off the Villa. I'm still not sure about signing John Terry, but if they do go up I doubt my old friends up there will complain.

  • Comment posted by blue, at 07:51 16 Aug 2017

    Villa were in decline long before bruce took over.. the championship everyone can beat everyone so i wouldn't rule villa out it's early days and it's the team that comes in with that late run of winning game after game that come from no where this could be villa who has that run

  • Comment posted by The Cynic, at 09:27 16 Aug 2017

    I've never understood how Steve Bruce keeps getting these different management jobs - he must be getting advice from Gary Megson . . .

  • Comment posted by VOTH, at 14:49 16 Aug 2017

    The fans have stuck by the club for 6 years of dross. And the fans will stick by the club when they can see effort and endeavour. But the 2 performances against Reading and Cardiff were beyond woeful. Reading had 85% possession in the first half!!!! Bruce has the players, the great chairman, the fans have been supportive. He has just failed to deliver. Like previous managers, he looks beaten.

  • Comment posted by DKC04, at 07:35 16 Aug 2017

    He's an average Manager with a confused team.

  • Comment posted by MoeensBeard, at 11:54 16 Aug 2017

    @90

    Your comments about the team are spot on, but saying Bruce has not had a full season is just an excuse. He's had 40 games and two transfer windows. We still play terrible football, we have no identity, we still have a gap the size of Birmingham between the midfield and attack and we still insist on playing hoofball, despite having a midget striker. All Bruce's doing. He's inept.

  • Comment posted by True Blue, at 15:49 16 Aug 2017

    Bruce is a good manager but like any team if the players don't want to play for you it doesn't matter how good a manager you are. As for John Terry it just shows one player doesn't make a team.

  • Comment posted by Gaz Glas, at 14:22 16 Aug 2017

    40 games. 16 wins. Millions spent on players that he can't get a performance from. Dire turgid football with no discernable tactics. As much as I wanted Bruce to succeed he's shown he has no idea. The Championship is a different league these days. Teams that play good attacking football we a pace and tempo to their game are the ones that are winning and gaining promotion. Sadly its time Bruce went

  • Comment posted by 3robert3, at 06:52 16 Aug 2017

    The main thing is that Reading beat them 2-1

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