Fired-up Bruce: We've got to turn it around
It's not a season of happy returns for Sunderland boss Steve Bruce, whose three games against former clubs Birmingham and Wigan have so far yielded one point from nine.
Saturday was a case of deja vu in reverse for the boss who grew used to seeing his unfashionable Latics take on Sunderland and deepen their problems during his time at the JJB Stadium.
In those days, Bruce used to cast envious eyes towards big club Sunderland and their big budgets and dream of the day when he would have the chance to manage a club with those sort of advantages.
Be careful what you wish for ...
After the brightest of starts, Sunderland are falling away desperately and have three fewer points than they did at this stage last season – a season in which Premier League survival was only secured on the very last day of the campaign. And that, by the skin of their teeth.
A run of one win in 14 games has left the natives restless, the players challenged and Bruce accepting just how perilous the situation has become.
"I'm not enjoying it," he said wearily after the game, in a voice heavy with understatement. "I don't like getting stick.
"But I'm not here under any illusions – I knew what I was taking on when I came.
"I knew it was going to be difficult, there have been many who tried before in this job, but I'm still relishing the challenge and I'm convinced we'll turn it around
"I'm not unduly worried, but, after a fantastic start, we are having a horrible run and we have to try and arrest it.
"We've got to turn it around and I'll do my utmost to do that – I've not walked away from anything in the past and I'm not going to start now.
"I'm the same manager as I was at the start of the season – I haven't changed – but I don't think I've been on a run like this.
"Maybe when I got the sack at Huddersfield!"
Bruce knows it is that long sequence of results without a win which is sapping the soul out of his side and making its football virtually unrecognisable from the fluid style played early in the season.
"Whatever confidence is, once you lose a little bit of it, you start to get a bit nervous," he added.
"You lose the basics.
"It was there for everyone to see against Wigan. What we needed to do was to try and take the ball and keep the ball and pass the ball because, in the first half in particular, we didn't do that.
"We just lumped it up the pitch.
"We said to them at half-time that there would be anarchy if that was the way we wanted them to play. We don't.
"As a group of players, we have to have a bit of confidence in way we play."
Bruce was at least pleased that his players seemed to find their feet as the game went on against Wigan.
"In the second half, we were much much better – that was the positive – although, to be fair, we couldn't have been much worse in the first!" he said.
"We were nervous, we were edgy, especially after they scored their first goal and we've got to handle that better than we have done of late.
"It's all about results and if we had won these two home games, the season would have had a different complexion.
"As it is, we are in a group of 10 teams all looking over their shoulders.
"We have to get the win to take that pressure off and turn us around."
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Weather for Sunderland
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
