When Aston Villa sacked Roberto Di Matteo just a few months into the season, all eyes were on who they would bring in to fix the problems at the club and stop them from suffering two consecutive relegations.
New Villa owner Tony Xia opted with the safest and arguably best option he could have gone for when he went for Steve Bruce.
The former Man United defender is a manager of proven calibre in the Championship. Promoted four times from the Championship, Bruce has the experience and know-how to guide his newest club out of the league and back to the big time.
His attitude to the game is a simple one. Work hard, keep things simple, and be professional, and you will reap the rewards. He guided Hull straight back last year via the play offs, when they outplayed Sheffield Wednesday in the Wembley showpiece final.
His task at Villa is a more difficult one, but the early signs are promising. Two derby day draws, and wins in the other three games against Reading, Fulham, and now Blackburn Rovers, have shot the Villans right up the table.
He has got players playing well who seemingly looked disinterested before, and new summer signing Jonathan Kodjia looks full of confidence and is hitting the back of the net.
Steve Bruce is a man not afraid to make the big decisions. Not afraid to drop big names. He does however possess the manner and man management skills to keep his players on side at all time, and get everyone working towards a common goal.
It is because of this style, attitude, and the mix of talented players he has inherited at Villa that I believe he can take them very close to their promotion objective. A few more consecutive wins and suddenly the teams around the top six will begin to worry.
Bruce is a proven winner at this level. Aston Villa will definitely be his 5th promotion, either this season, or next.
Villa fans, what do you think? Is Bruce the man to guide you back up? Let us know your thoughts and opinions!