This for me too. But there must be dozens and dozens of legitimate choices, even unproven young flair, adventurous managers in the lower divisions who would turn a game better than Bruce.
At the same time, it's not Bruce's fault, he's just a dodo and won't change in a million years and you can't blame him for taking the job with two hands.
The fault was and is 100% all Ashley's because of his usual lack of football knowhow, taking on what he believes to be a "name" and local lad, most likely on the cheap, compared to any other manager, even a one considered to be just on the next rung up the ladder to Cabbage Heed.