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Cabbage-Gate is not the first sign that Steve Bruce’s position as manager is becoming increasingly untenable, and changes should be made sooner rather than later.
Words by Regan Foy (@FindFoy)
In yesterday’s game against Preston North End at Villa Park, which saw Aston Villa scupper a 2-0 lead, equalise after the score was 3-2 to North End, and then miss a last minute penalty – none of the above were the most talked about highlight.
In fact, the most talked about highlight is something that is more often found on a Saturday night kebab after one-too-many beverages, rather than a football pitch.
We’re talking about a cabbage. Somehow, someone managed to sneak an entire cabbage into Villa Park. Not a small part, and by no means a small cabbage. This person then saw fit to throw it at Aston Villa Manager Steve Bruce, an act which could have done damage to him, or any of his backroom or playing staff. Regardless of what your opinion is on Steve Bruce, he doesn’t deserve to have to worry about whether or not he’s going to get a vegetable to the head the next time he’s at work.
But the cabbage signifies something much deeper than one person’s opinion on Steve Bruce. It shows the vitriol that the manager now faces, both home and away from fans who last season supported him, understood his situation and appreciated that he had taken the club as far as he could amidst his own personal crisis.
But now, these fans have grown tired of the stale, in-personable football where the best, or one of the best sides ever assembled within the Sky Bet Championship is struggling in the vast majority of games and look as if they’ve not had a tactical briefing once this season.
The Villa faithful have turned on Steve Bruce – and whilst some still support him as our manager and believe that he is indeed the right man to take us back to the promised land – the vast majority would prefer to see him sacked, or walk, and sooner rather than later.
And whilst many will laugh at the fact that someone actually threw a cabbage at the manager, god knows we’ve had a chuckle at it, it now shows that his position is becoming increasingly untenable.
Managing Aston Villa is a huge task, and the expectation of the fans can at times weigh heavy on the manager. It’s definitely not the first time that a manager has lost the faithful, and more than likely won’t be the last.
But, the 12th man is unsettled which is only going to worsen situations both in the stands and on the pitch. The right thing to do is to relieve Steve Bruce of his duties and start fresh, before the season is a complete write off.
