OPINION
Steve Bruce might be remembered in Aston Villa history as the man who ducked a cabbage.
But close observers of the club will look back at multiple examples of flawed judgement during a bumpy two-year reign that has coloured a proud record of four promotions.
The Telegraph detail that Bruce’s claim he did not have money to spend in the summer window fails to recognise the huge sums spent on loan deals by the Midlands giants.
It is said Villa agreed “to meet all of Bolasie’s £70,000-a-week wages” as part of the season-long loan agreed with Everton.
Little wonder the pacy winger was so keen to hotfoot it to the Midlands rather than north-east big hitters Middlesbrough, who would not have been anywhere near so generous.
Villa have had little in the way of a return so far from the Bolasie deal amid huge question marks over the player’s physical condition.
Bruce trusted him with just 83 minutes of action, spread across five substitute appearances. Bolasie has scored two goals, but it is startling how little action he’s had during the eight matches Villa have played since his arrival.
For that type of money – it is almost certain no other player in the Championship is getting that much money – the DR Congo should be the star man of the starting XI.
He should be tearing defences to shreds every week, rather than sitting on the sidelines idle and unused.
Why did Villa go to such lengths to land a player so out of condition and who would take so long to get up to speed?
Presumably, because Bruce pushed hard to get the deal done. No wonder the board wanted rid of him.