Keith Wyness has backed Steve Bruce to be at Aston Villa for some time – despite his rolling contract.
Keith Wyness
Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness has told the Birmingham Mail that the club are backing Steve Bruce long-term, but a rolling contract is the best for all right now.
Villa swooped to appoint Bruce as their new manager in October having parted ways with Roberto Di Matteo after a disappointing run of results, and Villa have had to take the rough with the smooth under Bruce
Bruce lost just two of his first 13 games in charge of the club, but the turn of the year bizarrely sparked a terrible run of form for Villa, as they picked up just one point in the first eight league games of 2017, and were dumped out of the FA Cup by Tottenham.
Villa have since turned it around with four wins in the last five games, but they will have to settle for a mid-table finish with hope of pushing for promotion next term.
Despite only arriving in October, questions have already been asked about Bruce’s future as Villa boss, especially during that torrid run of eight games without a victory.
Villa stood by the former Hull and Sunderland manager, and having been given permission to bring in eight signings in January, he looks set to be backed heavily in the summer transfer market too.
Aston Villa’s manager Steve Bruce
Now, Villa chief executive Keith Wyness has told the Birmingham Mail that the club understand the huge job facing Bruce, and there will be stability at the club with Bruce at the helm for some time to come.
However, Bruce is only on a ‘rolling contract’, and with some fans wondering exactly what that means, Wyness clarified the situation, suggesting that Bruce’s deal can be refreshed at certain intervals, of if he’s sacked, he will serve a notice period to see out the remainder of the rolling deal.
“A rolling contract is, basically, a period of time in the contract, whether it be one year or two years, where that period of time is always refreshed,” said Wyness. “So, if at any time should we want to terminate Steve’s contract, or anyone on a rolling contract, there would be that period of notice you’d have to give. It keeps on rolling forward, that’s why it’s a rolling contract.”
“There isn’t a set time limit, so you’re not employed for just two years, you always have a one year or two-year notice period going forward. That’s the rolling contract. We understand the depth of the problems and issues that Steve has had to face. We are convinced that he is the man to get us through longer term. The biggest problem I think has been a lack of stability. We are going to provide that stability and Steve is going to be here going forward,” he added.
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