Ex-Sunderland loanee reflects on Wearside stint, Steve Bruce and Newcastle United loss

Onuoha enjoyed a successful loan spell at the Black Cats in the 2010-11 season, helping the club to a 10th-place finish in the Premier League under Steve Bruce.

The defender also netted a memorable goal away to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a memorable win for Sunderland in the Premier League.

“I had spoken with Frazier Campbell who was at Sunderland during that time and he told me how good the set-up and the manager was,” Onuoha told World Football Index.

“It was an easy decision for me because, at that stage of my career, it was the first time that I was told that I had to go elsewhere if I wanted to play regular football.

“That feeling of someone saying we want you made it easy to go there and my time at Sunderland was one of the most enjoyable seasons of my career.

“We finished in the top ten of the Premier League which is a strong achievement considering where the club have been in recent years.

“We had some top players such as Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck, Steed Malbranque and Darren Bent just to name a few.

“I somehow won goal of the season that year as well. It was a time that I look back on fondly as I was made to feel wanted by the club and I played week in, week out when I was available.”

“Steve Bruce has managed over 1,000 games which shows you that he must be a good manager.

“He was straightforward with you and made it clear that he believed in his coaches and that they were a team together. If you spoke to any of them then they were on the same hymn sheet as the manager.

When asked about Bruce, he added: “He wanted to foster positive team spirit in the dressing room but also made it clear that training would be hard and that you had to perform.

“On a Saturday, if the right intent was there then he would not go over the top with his criticism if something went wrong.

“He had experienced the highs and the lows of football before as a player and as a manager so it was good as players to look at a manager who had the experience to handle any situation that came his and the team’s way.

“That was apparent when we lost 5-1 to Newcastle away. He did not panic and set out his stall that we had to win the supporters back and that we could only do that by playing well consistently and moving up the table which we did to reach our goals.”

Onuoha went on to play for QPR and Real Salt Lake after departing Manchester City in 2011 and now works in punditry having retired at the end of the 2020 MLS season in the United States.