But why no negotiation?
Players are sold without release clauses being met so why should managers be different? In the middle of the season when close to the playoffs I get it, but we have a manager who wants out but our chairman thinks he knows best and wants to hold out for the full amount in the contract which he is probably not going to get and so we will end up with a manager who doesn't want to be here or on gardening leave.
Just negotiate a lower price, get some money for him, hire a new manager asap and move on. Just because it worked with Bruce does not mean it will work now and many many times has not worked with players who have ended up leaving for nothing because there is no negotiation