Big Interview: Steve Bruce

ETCHED into the window behind Steve Bruce’s desk in his training ground office is an Aston Villa motif in claret and blue.

- John Wragg

It’s like the stained glass window of a church. Bruce’s task is to get everyone on the same hymn sheet after years of bruising, damaging decline.

“There would be a statue outside if I replicated here what I did at Hull City,” says Bruce, pointing behind him out of the window.

At Hull, he twice got them into the Premier League, the FA Cup final and into Europa League football. They were the best times in the club’s history.

Bruce joked as we walked into the office – with plush, tactics board on the wall set to 4-4-2, big desk, big chair and a quiet corner with settee and chairs, where we sit – that you won’t find personal bits and pieces.

“I didn’t put any up,” he smiled. “I didn’t know how long I’d be here.”

Villa have got through seven managers in eight years. They are on their second owner since Doug Ellis sold up and their third chief executive.

Nothing has been solid or dependable, since Randy Lerner decided he didn’t want to be in football any more and pulled the financial plug in 2010.

Martin O’Neill left but, amazingly, the fans didn’t. Through all the seasons that have turned from grey to the black of despair, they have stayed.

Despair

Bruce has sorted out a shed load of rubbish players, brought in experience with John Terry, Glenn Whelan and Chris Samba – the latter two both aged 33 – and knows he has to get Aston Villa back into the Premier League this season.

“I'd love to be signing 26-year olds. People are saying we’re Dad’s Army. But players are £15m to sign and fortunes in wages. We have had to be a bit shrewd,” says Bruce.

The quest began yesterday, ironically against Hull, the club he gave what Villa want.