[Archived] Steve Bruce

[herbergeehh]

Plus McClaren, signing on as a coach after an abysmal World Cup

[RevidgeBlue]

We could always plunder "Big Club" for their supporters player of the year -

Damien Johnson.

[Manchester Blue]

Players refusing to play link

Wonder if Sutton was up to his old tricks!

[Scotty]

The circus continues

[Ricky]

I reckon Sutton could well have been one of them

[modes98]

well nicky butt legged it from the team hotel before whats to say he wouldn't have done it again!

It shows how rubbish a manager and motivator bruce is!

[Philly Rover ®]

Soccernet: St. Andrew's Postmortem

Really a well-written article (especially if, like me, you have a particular distaste for the Big Club). Some of the notable excerpts:

Then there is a fact that those irritated by a particular ostentatious Welshman are reluctant to admit: Robbie Savage has proved irreplaceable. Salif Diao and Nicky Butt have tried and failed and the supporting cast - whether Jamie Clapham, Stephen Clemence or even the wholehearted Damien Johnson - have been unable to exert the same influence.

No one else, from the centre of midfield, has been able to knit the Birmingham team together and Bruce has shown a marked reluctance to use either of the attacking options, top scorer Jiri Jarosik and the injury-prone David Dunn, there.

BIRMINGHAM VERDICT: Their immediate future looks bleak. A spell outside the top flight seems to beckon. Acquiring the winning habit as well as a team capable of winning promotion within three months is unlikely. It may get worse before it gets better.

Now I'm left with a dilemna... who is our most hated Premiership opponent for next year?

[philipl]

This is getting like intruding on private grief.

[Radagast]

It must have been Sutton and Butt.

[herbergeehh]

Now I'm left with a dilemna... who is our most hated Premiership opponent for next year?

406434[/snapback]

Liverpool and Spurs! Won't be as extreme as this seasons Big Club With Porn Money of course, but they can still be hated - down there somewhere

I fully expect this thread to stay alive, or else there will for sure be a riot against those nineteen year old mods.

[AggyBlue]

Now I'm left with a dilemna... who is our most hated Premiership opponent for next year?

406434[/snapback]

No contest for me. Still Notlob

[Blue blood]

My word you couldn't make it up if you tried.

What's the point of half measures - if Bruce wanted to retain any credability he should have named and shamed the players and shown them the door, thus showing them who's boss (well for now anyway .)

This half-hearted measure just puts Brum in an even worse light and adds yet more gloom and doom for the supporters. What kind of message is it to start crying "the players won't play for us, but it's ok we'll protect them but we want everyone to know how hard done by we are".

Every manager, no matter how good they are will have the odd fall-out with players (although some seem to make a habit of it). How it is dealt with it is what makes the manager successful. The only other refusal to play I can think of is Viduka for John Barnes at Celtic. I can think of a fair few players sulking when dropped/subbed etc. but that at least shows they actually want to play. Refusing to play at all is rater rare in my book and shows how troubled the brum camp is.

It should also be noted that that small club rovers are seeming to do ok with firebrands such as Bellamy Todd & Savage.

[Ronin]

My word you couldn't make it up if you tried.

What's the point of half measures - if Bruce wanted to retain any credability he should have named and shamed the players and shown them the door, thus showing them who's boss (well for now anyway  .)

This half-hearted measure just puts Brum in an even worse light and adds yet more gloom and doom for the supporters. What kind of message is it to start crying "the players won't play for us, but it's ok we'll protect them but we want everyone to know how hard done by we are".

Every manager, no matter how good they are will have the odd fall-out with players (although some seem to make a habit of it). How it is dealt with it is what makes the manager successful. The only other refusal to play I can think of is Viduka for John Barnes at Celtic. I can think of a fair few players sulking when dropped/subbed etc. but that at least shows they actually want to play. Refusing to play at all is rater rare in my book and shows how troubled the brum camp is.

It should also be noted that that small club rovers are seeming to do ok with firebrands such as Bellamy Todd & Savage.

406531[/snapback]

I think it would be better to name and shame the players, especially for future employers sake.

[ihtd]

Has anyone got a list of the players who didn't play on Sunday for Brum, as i think we could make a good guess at who the players were from who didn't play who normally does.

Chris Sutton would have probably been involved with all of his old tricks.

Its a disgrace that players would refuse to play, it is unprofessional and it shows that those players were never truly committed to the club in the first place. They deserved to be named and shamed. In some small way i feel sorry for the Porn Boys fans if some of their players were never committed in the first place and just wanted the money for nothing.

Edited May 10, 2006 by ihatethedingles

[RovertheHill]

Call me cynical but naming and shaming them will only knock ££££'s off their value. That said, the grapevine in football is usch that probably most managers know who it is by now anyway

[cn_barlow]

Call me cynical but naming and shaming them will only knock ££££'s off their value.  That said, the grapevine in football is usch that probably most managers know who it is by now anyway

406651[/snapback]

But they've 'apparently' been released form the club, so why should that matter?

That club is an absolute Farse!

Edited May 10, 2006 by cn_barlow

[herbergeehh]

Birmingham wants Cameron for £3m?

So much for getting rid of big earners, changing profile to match Championship economical standards etc..

Interesting quote in the bottom of the article:

Meanwhile, Blues have categorically denied that Julian Gray and Olivier Tebily were two of the players who refused to play at Bolton.

They were named in national newspapers but Blues have issued a statement saying the reports were 'completely false and inaccurate'.

It added that 'the main instigator of any problems is no longer at Birmingham City Football Club'.

So, who's left then?

[herbergeehh]

Cunningham released

Cunningham, Lazaridis, Sutton, Melchiot, Vaesen and Clapham has been released (or are they just "leaving" as soon as someone makes a bid?) - Vaesen and Melchiot was in the 16 against Notlob.

Not updated on their injury status (seriously, who cares?), but I'm a bit surprised with the release of Cunningham - isn't he the type of player they'd want in the Championship? Could he be one of the two - Sutton, Lazaridis and Clapham being three contestants.

[yellowsubmarine]

Now I'm left with a dilemna... who is our most hated Premiership opponent for next year?

406434[/snapback]

For me, its has to be Spurs still. I just detest them.

[blue/white]

i'll second that, Spuds for me !

[Ronin]

I'd agree as well, especially with all this replaying the Whammers game shenanigans.

[pleasure]

spurs for me! they've had dillusions of grandeour since the 60's!

[Philly Rover ®]

Birmingham wants Cameron for £3m?

406680[/snapback]

Good find, herbergeehh, both this and the other article. I'm a bit surprised to see Cunningham released--next year's version of the Big Club may be the most radically reshaped relegated squad since Leeds a few years ago.

What was interesting in that Cameron article was this: "With Emile Heskey likely to be sold - he is a target for Blackburn Rovers and Spurs - Jerome is seen as a replacement."

Heskey's name had been thrown about here--though I'd think it's a long shot at best--but Spurs having an interest in Heskey? Possibly if Mido doesn't sign? Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how the Heskey situation shapes up and whether we're involved or not.

[Anti-Man Utd]

Now I'm left with a dilemna... who is our most hated Premiership opponent for next year?

For me, its has to be Spurs still. I just detest them.

406722[/snapback]

Always Man United.

Not entirely covinced that Bruce will be at Birmingham next season.

Edited May 11, 2006 by Anti-Man Utd

[American]

Birmingham wants Cameron for £3m?

406680[/snapback]

Allegedly 6 prem clubs are sniffing around and he won't go to Brum.