BRUISE CONTROL

Bruce: I want us to play with our boots on and not get bullied, playing tough like I did at.. Brum

STEVE BRUCE admits he wants to make Aston Villa more resilient – like his old Birmingham City team.

Bruce is preparing for his first full campaign in charge at Championship Villa after bringing in John

Terry (right) as skipper.

Bruce’s arrival last year did not meet with universal approval from fans after his past as a Birmingham player and boss.

He led Blues to two promotions as they enjoyed their first taste of the Premier League in his reign from 2001-2007. His side had a mix of grit and flair with the likes of Robbie Savage and Christophe Dugarry.

Bruce now wants more guts from his Villa side, especially on the road after winning just four away games last term. Ahead of tonight’s curtain-raiser at home to another of his former clubs – Hull City – Bruce said: “Any team of mine, you have got to play with your boots on a bit. This club, this city demands that.

“Down the road at Birmingham the crowd enjoyed watching us play. Here, we’ve got to make sure we don’t get bullied away from home, as we did too many times. Away from home we have won five times in two years.

“I can’t bear it – and it sent me into a downward spiral. We have to be better mentally. If we are still as fragile we will struggle again.

“That’s why I have brought in a bit of toughness and steel because we were getting turned over too easy.”

Bruce walked away from Hull in July 2016 after guiding them back to the Premier League. Despite planning to take a year off he says he couldn’t turn down Villa when they sacked Roberto Di Matteo last October.

The Tigers were subsequently relegated, but Bruce added: “I hope I can replicate what I did in Hull in four years.

“We got to an FA Cup Final and went up twice. Do that here I will be carried out in the streets.”