As Steve Bruce zaps the life and soul out of yet another football club, you have to wonder when will his desecration of football management end?

There is no denying Steve Bruce was a terrific defender, it would be foolish to think otherwise. As a manager though, it is a completely different story. You will be hard pushed to find a set of supporters who have enjoyed his time as manager, with the exception of Hull City.

Newcastle United supporters were chastised for merely criticising the utter dross Bruce served them each week. If the football wasn’t bad enough, it was the unintelligible waffle coming out of Bruce’s mouth that would send supporters over the edge.

Aston Villa supporters resorted to throwing cabbages on the pitch. Anything to stop the footballing nightmare continuing.

Friend of the Media

Bruce has managed to have one hell of a career in football management. Thanks largely to his friends in the media. No matter how bad things are on the pitch, there will be those in written and broadcast media singing his praises. ”A nice family man” the frustrated supporters will be told. Or the classic ”Give him time” despite having had plenty of it.

Bruce’s mantra is to ”Never give up or walk away.” This is seemingly because he prefers to be paid off than walk away with any shred of dignity. The fact that some in the media defend him, adds insult to injury for supporters. Those supporters have to listen to pundits on the radio or TV talking Bruce up. The man who has ripped the heart and soul out of their club. There is no enjoyment supporting a team managed by Bruce. It becomes a chore very quickly.

Failure to Adapt

Like anything, football has changed over time. Those who are successful within the game change along with it. Bruce’s failure to change his style has resulted in a familiar theme in each club he’s managed. Losing the supporters first, and very quickly losing the dressing room.

Managers must adapt to changes in the game or face being left behind. A recent example, Eddie Howe, he was relegated with Bournemouth. He then took time out to recognise where he went wrong and what improvements were needed. Bruce has never done that, and his reputation has suffered as a result.

Alienating Supporters

As West Brom supporters are starting to realise, Bruce never endears himself to supporters. It is always someone else’s fault. Supporters do not want to hear the same excuses each week. They want to see action and improvement. Saying what needs to be improved is pointless if nothing is done about it.

“I’m not everybody’s cup of tea” is a saying Bruce has rattled off a number of times over the years. Perhaps, it is time for Bruce to understand why.

End of the Line

You feel that Bruce’s predictable sacking at West Brom should be the end of his managerial career. No more supporters should have to witness this outdated and lazy style of management.

Job after job, loss after painful loss and excuse after excuse. There comes a time when even Bruce himsfelf admits that his time in the game is up.