Being Baled out now would spur us on in cup, says Bruce
STEVE BRUCE’S alarm is set for half-past six, and by 7.15am he’s in the car heading for work. This past week has been spent formulating a plan to beat Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup and juggling all the phone calls and meetings that come with the January transfer window.
‘It’s taken 80 per cent of my time. Everybody is offering the new Paul Scholes or David Beckham. For the agents, they’re all world-beaters,’ says Aston Villa boss Bruce, chuckling at the absurdity of it all.
However, today’s encounter brings back another absurd memory for Bruce, one that involves one of the world’s most celebrated footballers and an unlikely transfer to the footballing backwater of Wigan.
The year was 2009 and Bruce’s Latics had just beaten Spurs 1-0 to keep the Londoners in the bottom three. Harry Redknapp had recently arrived as manager and Bruce recalls asking him if Gareth Bale would be available. ‘Harry said: “Give me the weekend to think about it, I will call you Monday”.
‘It never got any further, but for 48 hours I thought maybe there was a deal to be had.
‘Bale has done all right since then. Wonder if he would come and give me a hand now?’ As for today’s opponents, the Villa boss is full of admiration and believes a Premier League crown is well within their capabilities.
‘I watched (on TV) Spurs beat Chelsea on Wednesday night and thought: “Gosh, we’ve got them next”. I can only hope Mauricio Pochettino makes a few changes against us! This is easily the best Spurs team in my lifetime. They could have won the Premier League last season with a bit of luck.’
Monday’s defeat at Cardiff left Villa mid-table in the English Championship, though their form since Bruce took over is among the best in the division. The play-offs remain an aim. ‘We can’t give up. We are Aston Villa,’ he says.
The FA Cup is important, too. Villa have won it seven times, the last in 1957, and Bruce took Hull to the 2014 final where they lost 3-2 to Arsenal.
‘Perhaps I undermined the competition in my earlier days because staying in the Premier League was so important. But I’ve learned to take the Cup seriously. If you ask the people of Hull what was their greatest day, they will probably say going to the final.
‘Are Aston Villa capable of winning the FA Cup? Yes, we are, so we’ll take it seriously.’