[Legend] Steve Bruce

[rondwisan]

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[Legend] STEVE BRUCE
ManUtd.com


Pound for pound, the £825,000 Alex Ferguson paid Norwich City for this craggy, uncompromising centre-half two weeks short of his 27th birthday in December 1987, was one of the best deals Manchester United have ever done.

Bruce’s central defensive partnership with Gary Pallister – the pair were affectionately dubbed ‘Dolly and Daisy’ – was the bedrock on which three Championship-winning sides were built (1993, 1994 and 1996), as well as successes in the European Cup Winner’s Cup (1991), FA Cup (1994, 1996) and the League Cup (1992). It was arguably Bruce’s two critical late, late goals – a pair of towering headers – against

Sheffield Wednesday that tipped the 1992/93 Premiership title race in United’s favour and really got the ball rolling for United’s dominance of the modern game.

Bruce’s was a steady climb to the football summit. A product of the famous Wallsend Boys Club that gave the game talents like Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley and more recently United transfer target Michael Carrick, he represented Newcastle schoolboys, but was rejected at 16 by his boyhood idols, as well as Sunderland, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday and Southport ¬because he was perceived to be too small. He subsequently got a job at the Swan Hunter shipyard as a trainee plumber but a week before he was due to start was offered an apprenticeship with Gillingham.

After making his league debut for the Gills at the start of the 1979-80 season while still just 17, he went on to make more than 200 league appearances for the Kent club before Norwich paid £135,000 for his services in August 1984. At Carrow Road, Bruce won a League Cup winner’s medal in 1985 and the Second Division Championship medal the following year. Remarkably, for all his subsequent honours at Old Trafford, Bruce was never selected for a full England cap, though he did lead the side at B level.


He finally left the Reds on a free transfer for Birmingham City in the 1996 close season after nine years, 414 appearances and a prolific 51 goals. Assisted by his accuracy from the penalty spot he had remarkably finished as the club’s joint top scorer in 1990/91 with 19 goals in all competitions.

In 1998 he started out on the management trail with Sheffield United as player-manager, and has also been in charge at Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic and Crystal Palace. He is currently boss at Birmingham City, mounting a bid for a swift Premiership return in 2006/07 after taking the Blues up and spending four seasons in the top flight. Don’t bet against it.

[rondwisan]

02/10/2009 12:40 - ManUtd.com, Ben Hibbs
Bruce can manage a top club

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Steve Bruce has all the qualities to manage one of Engand's top clubs – but Sir Alex Ferguson believes he can achieve that feat at the Stadium of Light.

With money to spend and a wealth of experience behind him, Bruce is already at a big club, according to Sir Alex. Asked on Friday if he thought Bruce would end up at one of England’s big clubs, the United boss retorted: “I don’t think Sunderland’s fans would be too pleased to hear that. They could be a massive club, you know. They already are in terms of history, stadium, training ground, and their fan base. It wouldn’t be doing them justice to say otherwise.”

Bruce has enjoyed or endured varied experiences at six different clubs in his managerial career, all of which should stand him in good stead. “If you go back through Bruce’s career, his experience of the other side of football is very useful.

“From being down there scrapping with Crystal Palace or Sheffield United, he recently almost took Wigan into a UEFA place. He’s learned a lot as he’s gone along. Birmingham didn’t have much money to deal with. They never had a big budget to buy players. That’s not easy in the Premier League. Now he has the chance to spend some money at Sunderland and it looks as if they could be good.”

Bruce has made some promising signings, notably with the capture of Darren Bent in attack, who Sir Alex pinpoints as the spearhead of an impressive front line that can also include Kenwyne Jones and former United youngster Fraizer Campbell. “The addition of Darren Bent now, who’s scored seven goals now, is a good one. He’s given a good return already. Steve has galvanised the club really well, and you can see something happening there... just hopefully not on Saturday!”

Sir Alex certainly won’t be taking Sunderland lightly after they have notched four wins in seven games this term. “Everyone’s a threat if you don’t approach games the right way. We have to approach the game in the right way all the time. That’s what happens here. We have to make sure the attitude and the character of the team is always there. It will be. We have no problems there. The team is playing well and hopefully we get the result we want.”

It’s no surprise that, after Bruce’s loyalty and commitment to the United cause in the early years of Sir Alex’s Old Trafford reign, the Reds boss still has a fondness for his now opposite number. “He was a great player for us,” reminisced the boss. “The fantastic thing about Brucey was that he had this great ability to play on with injuries. He was always hobbling about the training ground, with knocks or hamstring strains. He’d just rub it better and play. It was unbelievable.

“I remember when we were going to play Liverpool at Anfield at the weekend and he’d picked up a hamstring injury on the Saturday before. He was on the treatment table all week. Then on the Friday I was doing some team shaping and the set pieces. He came running down the hill at The Cliff and said, ‘don’t pick your team just now, I think I’m OK’. I said, ‘You’re joking, it’s a hamstring pull’. Brucey came back, ‘Yeah, it’s all right, I’ve had them before’. He played the full game.

“Looking at his partnership with Gary Pallister – it went on uninterrupted for years. They hardly missed a game. It was a phenomenal partnership, and the right combination; they had the qualities you need. They were great characters too. You can laugh just thinking about them!”

That fondness will be put on hold on Saturday, however, as United seek to extend the league lead with Chelsea and Liverpool meeting on Sunday.

[rondwisan]

United legend lifts the lid on first few days at Old Trafford
sport.co.uk, Ben Moss - 02 October 2009 - 16:04

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Manchester United legend Steve Bruce admits he was scared when he first entered the Old Trafford dressing room as a player in 1987. The stalwart had been signed by Sir Alex Ferguson from Norwich for £800,000, and even though he jokes he was probably the manager’s fifth choice target, the ex-Crystal Palace, Birmingham City and Wigan boss would later become one of the cornerstones to United’s first Premier League title in 1993. Bruce takes his Sunderland side to United tomorrow, and he still retains fond memories of his playing career at the Theatre of Dreams.

Bruce told the Manchester Evening News: “I was frightened.”

“I walked into the dressing room and thought, 'Oh my God, I have seen all these players on the telly'.

“I didn't go there until I was 27, and I had only played two years in the top flight, so it was a bit of a gamble.

“To be fair, I think Fergie had missed out on about five or six centre-halves and I was seventh on the list, but you would have to ask him that!

“We struggled to begin with, we struggled in the early years and when we look back now and think they have won the Premier League 10 times since 1993 it's quite staggering because it took something like 26 years to win.”

[Andi Istiabudi]

Bruce Kecewa Berat Darren Bent Cedera
Fitra Iskandar - Okezone

SUNDERLAND - Pelatih Sunderland Steve Bruce kecewa berat melihat cedera yang dialami Darren Bent saat latihan bersama timnas Inggris.

Akibat cedera punggung saat latihan menjelang laga persahabatan kontra Hungaria di Wembley Rabu besok, Bent hampir dipastikan absen saat Sunderland mengawali musim melawan Birmingham City.

Bruce memang layak kecewa kehilangan Bent, striker yang diabaikan Capello pada Piala Dunia lalu itu adalah pemain termahal Black Cats yang dikontrak 10 juta poundsterling tahun lalu, dan sangat penting bagi tim.

“Striker hebat membuat tim tampil bagus, dan kami memiliki satu yang sangat berharga buat kami,” kata Bruce kepada Daily Star.

“Darren mendapatkan sesuatu yang tidak berarti di pramusim.Saya berharap pasukan saya kembali fit dan sehat,” katanya.

Bent sempat mengundang sorotan publik karena performa yang gemilang sejak tiba di Sunderland dari Tottenham Hotspur. Bersama Black Cats striker 26 tahun ini menjadi pencetak gol terbanyak ketiga di Premier League pada musim lalu dengan torehan 24 gol.

Fabio Capello sempat memasukannya ke dalam skuad sementara namun saat penetapan skuad final, Capello melemparnya dan lebih memilih Emile Heskey, Jermain Defoe dan Peter Crouch untuk mendampingi Rooney. (fit)

Source : http://bola.okezone.com

[hendiplast]

Steve Bruce: This is the best team Sunderland have ever had, but I'd like to manage England one day

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Steve Bruce has never sent an email but if he did break down this interview into a series of short, sharp messages, they might read something like this.

Email to the Football Association: 'I'd like the England job at some point, possibly even after Fabio Capello's gone, but it's probably best I tell you this first. That bit about me being the best defender never to have played for England. Well, I was asked to play for England once but I knocked them back.'

Email to Sunderland: 'I'd only consider the England job if you were happy for the FA to talk to me. I actually love it here so much I'd like to extend my contract.'

Email to Simon Jordan: 'I know I've touched on this before but when I left Crystal Palace all those years ago I really did let you down. No, really, I did.'

And a group email to his players: 'With wealth comes responsibility, lads. The game is in danger of losing touch with the fans.'

But Bruce doesn't do emails and he doesn't really do text messages, iPhones or computers either.

'I just keep a diary,' he says. 'And if I want to communicate with someone I pick up the phone. My old Nokia usually. And I really have never sent an email. You might think I'm old school and I accept that I am, but I prefer to talk to people.'

He will be 50 at the end of this month and it is an older, wiser Bruce who shares his thoughts and his philosophies as well as the reason why the job he has now gives him more pleasure, even, than captaining Manchester United.

'I tell my players they have the best job in the world,' he says. 'But I get more satisfaction from preparing a team that then wins on a Saturday than I ever did from the success I enjoyed as a player.

'If I was coming to the end of my playing career now, I'm not sure I'd go into management. With all the coaching badges and everything, it can take five or six years to learn your trade. And I think the average survival time in the lower leagues is about 15 months. You'd have to ask yourself if it's worth it.

'But I'm here because I love the game. Because I wanted to stay involved. I probably could have retired after I finished playing but I'm someone who likes to go to work every day. Likes to get up and do something.

And this is great. Winning a cup final as a player is fantastic but, for me, the highs are better now. Just seeing my team win.'

After 12 years in management, he has developed something of a routine that enables him to enjoy it and cope with the stresses of the Barclays Premier League. A routine that involves two dogs, a working man's club in Wallsend and a pint on a Sunday. Like he says, he's old school. A man of simple tastes.

With echoes of Brian Clough, he likes his two boxer dogs to accompany him to work.

'I've had a kennel built for them here,' he says. 'They're struggling a bit at the moment because they have both done their cruciates. One was chasing a ball and one was chasing a pigeon. But walking them is my way of switching off. I take them along the coast or the big wildlife reserve over the back here. I can just disappear for a while.'

Now he's back in his native North East he can disappear for a drink with his dad, Joe, too.

'I've seen more of my mum and dad and my family in the last 18 months than I had in the 30 years prior to that,' he says.

'And I try to go and have a pint with my dad in the working man's club in Wallsend.

'My dad was a fitter and he's been drinking there all his life. I would go there when I was a kid. It's proper Newcastle country but most fair-minded people accept I'm the manager of Sunderland.

'The first question I asked the people at this club was whether they had a problem with where I was born. Where I grew up as a kid. But I don't get any problems where my dad drinks because, at the end of the day, people round here like to see their own doing well. That said, I haven't been in since the derby.'

He regards that game at Newcastle at the end of October, when his team were hammered 5-1, as the nadir of his managerial career.

'Aye, the worst result of my life,' he says.

But it is how he and his young side have responded that is so impressive. First came a win against Stoke, then a draw at Tottenham and the win, two weeks after the nightmare of St James', he now considers the finest of his managerial career. A 3-0 success at Chelsea that has helped Sunderland climb to seventh in the table.

'We've only lost one of the seven we've played since,' he says.

Bruce says that when it came to dealing with the defeat at Newcastle, he remained calm with his players.

'I might have been shouting and screaming 10 years ago,' he says. 'But I had a meeting with the players and I simply reminded them that we had let everyone down. I didn't need to say anything else.

'I made a conscious effort to build a young squad here. At Fulham last week I think we had the youngest team in the league, with an average age of about 23. But when you have a team like that you can get those kind of results. At Newcastle we just didn't handle the occasion. The players got caught up in it.

'I remember playing in my first semi-final, against Oldham. I was 30 but the emotion of the thing got the better of me. It was boiling hot, we played poorly and got our backsides kicked.'

In the most recent derby week he did not just lose a football match. He lost two of his dearest friends. John Benson was the guy who persuaded him to return to football after his dismissal at Huddersfield, while Bill 'Buster' Collins was perhaps his greatest influence.

Bruce has to pause for a second. 'They died within days of each other,' he says.

'Benno the day before the derby and Buster a couple of days after.

'I had a rough start in management. Six chief executives at Sheffield United and then the sacking at Huddersfield. After that I became a bit of a recluse. I was doing up my house, working as a labourer for the builders. I wouldn't go to games because I was worried managers would think I was after their job. At one stage I agreed to take the Tranmere job but then the wife reminded me that, in Liverpool, I never would have been I never would have been accepted.

'Then Benno called me. He was the general manager at Wigan and Bruce Rioch had left. They had eight games left that season and told me to come and have a crack.

'It was great and during that time John gave the best advice I've ever had. I used to think I had to be responsible for everything. If the food in the canteen was OK. If the tables were clean. John told me to put all my energy into winning on a Saturday.

'He'd been working with us here for a month when we lost him. Cruel. And then Buster died. He was 90 but he worked for Gillingham for what must have been 50 years. He was youth team coach when I went there as a kid and he brought me up really. He taught me values. Right and wrong. I did find management hard to start with.

'After Wigan I worked with Simon Jordan at Crystal Palace. We're good friends now but 10 years ago he was volatile and so was I. I would spit my dummy out. I remember us arguing over Steve Vickers. And rather than sitting down responsibly and discussing it, we had a blazing row.

'I wanted to sign him and I eventually did - at Birmingham. He was key to us getting promoted. But I wish I handled it differently with Simon. I walked out and went to Birmingham and that wasn't right.

'I let him down. We were flying. Top of the league. But we were fighting like cat and dog and suddenly it was all over.'

Bruce often struggles to apply logic to the things he sees in football. Like the fact that the Newcastle manager who beat him 5-1 has since been sacked.

'I can't get my head round that,' he says.

'And it's the same with Sam (Allardyce) this week. Blackburn were bottom of the league when he took over. He kept them up, has got something like £40million in and last season they were 10th.

'Managers are falling victim to the people who buy our clubs. These people need to realise these clubs have been around for more than a hundred years. It's not a toy.

'It's also why I worry that, if we're not careful, we are going to alienate ourselves from those people. This is still a working class game and all the wealth, this pop star ethos, just ain't right. I do my best to make sure my players have some manners and treat people the right way. The way they expect to be treated. We have to clean up the image of footballers.'

His message is one that would sit well with an England manager, a role he would one day like to occupy.

'If England came knocking and Sunderland were OK with it, of course you'd have to think about having a crack at it,' he says.

'Even to be linked with it is something I wouldn't have dreamed of in the past. And if it's going to be an Englishman there aren't many of us. Only five in the Premier League with Sam gone. If, in 18 months, it's up for grabs and I'm still doing well here it's got to be the pinnacle. To be the manager of your country, even though you know what it entails, would be amazing. How could anyone turn it down? The biggest single disappointment for me was not playing for England.

'At United, when it was international week, I'd be the only one left. Everyone else would be away and I never really came to terms with why.'

But then he admits something. 'The closest I got was when Terry Venables rang me,' he says. ' It was 1994 and there was a Mickey Mouse friendly against Nigeria and I politely said: "Terry, thanks but no thanks". I think he was just going to give me a cap. A recognition of what I'd done.

'I knocked it back, aye. I didn't want to just have one cap that was given to me out of sympathy. I was still United captain but I'd been United captain for years and never even got in the squad.

'I was nearly 34 and the game was at Wembley. If it had been a qualifier, of course I would have played. If the country had actually needed me. But it wasn't.'

He considers himself unfortunate that his best years coincided with Graham Taylor's tenure as England manager.

'When Graham got the job I knew I was going to struggle,' he says.

'He took the England B team one time in Malta (1987) and we won 3-0. But reading out the team he said "Bruce - and by the way you're captain. I have to say that's not my decision. I don't think you're captain material. It was Bobby's decision". Some team talk!

But he clearly didn't fancy me as a player. But because I missed out as a player I'd fancy the manager's job. As an Englishman, nothing would make me prouder.'

Not that Bruce is making any such plans. He just wants to focus on a Sunderland team that is producing England players.

'I think this is the best squad Sunderland's ever had,' he says.

'We've got England players, international players. People who've played at World Cups.

'I want us to become another Everton or an Aston Villa; enjoy big European nights at the Stadium of Light. That has to be the dream for us here. Can you imagine it?

'I signed a three-year contract when I came here and if they see fit and want to extend it, I would sit down and willingly discuss that with them. From top to bottom, this is a great club.'

With a wise old head at the helm.

Dailymail

[Andi Istiabudi]

A weigh the lad: Steve Bruce packs the midfield

NORTH East footie fans don't need to ask who ate all the pies, judging by this snap of Steve Bruce.

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The Sunderland boss, 50, let it all hang out on holiday in Barbados.

Cup
It's a far cry from his playing days in 1992 with Manchester United, when he won the League Cup with Ryan Giggs.

Evergreen Giggsy, now 37, is still getting down the left wing at Old Trafford. Former defender Bruce, meanwhile, looks more interested in getting down the chicken wings.

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Figure it out ... Bruce lifted the League Cup with Ryan Giggs, who is still playing.

Source : http://www.thesun.co.uk

[Andi Istiabudi]

Everton give Steve Bruce a lesson in Premier League stability

In the years when Sir Bobby Robson briefly looked as if he might establish Newcastle United among the aristocracy of the Champions League, the Toon Army had a song. It was called "Have you ever seen a Mackem in Milan?"

Sunderland have been to Budapest and Lisbon but that was in 1973, a reward for perhaps the most improbable FA Cup victory of modern times, and they have not needed their passports since. The Europa League might not take them to Milan but they would not mind a few stopovers in Prague or Portugal.

At the turn of the year Sunderland seemed the likeliest candidate for the sixth-placed finish that should ensure European football, but this was their fourth successive defeat and they have Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool still to play. Six of their final seven fixtures are against teams in the bottom half of the table, however, but by then it might be too late.

The thoughts of Steve Bruce, who has just signed a contract that, if fulfilled, would see him managing Sunderland in 2014, did not extend to airport runways and Europa League press conferences, but to the grittier task of maintaining Sunderland as a regular member of the Premier League, something they have never quite been. When they first arrived, in 1996 (the year they last won at Goodison), English football's swell party was four years in and they have been relegated three times since.

"My brief was to make us an established Premier League club rather than the one that has been a yo-yo over the last few years," he said. "Everton, for instance, are one of those clubs we aspire to be. They have been in the Premier League since the year dot and I respect the manager and his team. They will finish in the top 10 again – there's no question of that.

"I don't think Sunderland can ever say we are an established Premier League club, not with our history. We are only three years in and, if you look at our history, that is not great."

History is a word at the centre of Everton's perception of themselves. All around Goodison there are photographs marking the club's significant moments. The only image worth preserving from this campaign, however, would be that of Phil Neville, shirt off, celebrating his penalty that overcame Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth-round replay and kept the season alive.

At least David Moyes, who a fortnight ago at Bolton had appeared cloaked by terminal despair after a performance as supine as anything Sunderland produced here, could persuade himself that Mikel Arteta is finally showing some form. Nothing at Everton appears to have functioned very smoothly for very long, especially their Basque playmaker.

"He has been a worry," said the Everton manager after seeing the Basque set up the second of Jermaine Beckford's goals. "We swam the Channel to keep Mikel because he is an integral part of this team. But his form has not been as good as it should be. We have seen glimmers and signs in the last few weeks.

"Maybe he felt he is the one who had to make us play – to take the ball from everywhere and make us pass. In time his form is coming back. People think he has played safe, but I don't. You talk about [Barcelona's] Andrés Iniesta – he made 98 passes against Arsenal and 94 were accurate.

"You have to keep the ball in midfield and Mikel can do that, and because we do not have that craft, we look to him to make the key passes. Here he looked much more like his old self."

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk

[Andi Istiabudi]

Bruce sees a silver lining
By ROB BEASLEY

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STEVE BRUCE is in no doubt Arsene Wenger is still the right man to lead Arsenal to glory.

The Sunderland boss says the Frenchman just needs to win one piece of silverware and then others will flood in to the Emirates.

Bruce said: "The fella's a genius.

"He's built a fantastic team and, for me, it's only a matter of time.

"Whether it's this year, your guess is as good as mine.

"But once they win the first one, they'll be fine.

"It seems unbelievable now but when I first went to Man United we were chasing the first title in 25, 26 years.

"It's the same for this young Arsenal team. I've seen them beat Barcelona and they're an average of 23 years old.

"So they're a fantastic team but they need to win a title or a cup competition - and they're close.

"They had a cup final last week, they're in the quarter-final of another competition, they're just behind Man United in the Premier League and they have a huge game against Barcelona.

"It's a fantastic position to be in."

The Black Cats boss was pleased with Danny Welbeck's performance - and admits he would like to sign the on-loan United striker permanently.

He added: "It is a double-edged sword because the better he does, the further away he gets for us.

"Before he got injured he was the best striker we had at that time."

Bruce was also delighted his side managed to cope with the club's injury crisis.

He said: "We have been without six or seven big players for the past few months. All those players have to come back into the team and they will make a big difference."

Source : http://www.thesun.co.uk

[rondwisan]

Bruce: I am no racist
Soccernet - March 31, 2011



Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has angrily denied claims that he is a racist after defender Marcos Angeleri accused him of overlooking him because he is not English.

Angeleri, 27, was due back on Wearside on Wednesday on his return from international duty, during which he made his comments.

The Argentinian told ESPN Radio: "The boss doesn't talk to me, he doesn't even say hello to me when he sees me. I think he doesn't like me because I'm not English."

The same quotes were used in a report which recalled Aston Villa's French boss Gerard Houllier's remarks about Bruce's attitude towards him in the wake of Darren Bent's controversial £24 million move to the midlands in January.

However, the former Manchester United captain has hit back and pointed to the fact that he has 11 overseas players from nine different countries among his first-team squad of 25 as evidence to refute the charge.

Bruce, who said he is considering legal action, told the Sunderland Echo: "I'm deeply upset. In today's world, there is nothing more damaging than someone suggesting you are a racist.

"Of all things that have been thrown at me over the years, that is the charge that hurts the most. I have got no problem with criticism - I learned a long, long time ago that it's part and parcel of the job, and I never take it personally.

"I have always tried to look further afield for players, more so than the vast majority of managers - at Wigan I brought in a lot of South Americans; here I have brought in South Americans and Africans. It's ridiculous to accuse me of being racist.''

Bruce admitted he could even understand why Angeleri, who arrived at the Stadium of Light in a £2 million switch from Estudiantes in July last year, is so upset.

"I have left out a player who I paid a lot of money for and he has had his say," Bruce said. "I'm not too upset if a player has a pop because he's not getting in the team because if I was in that position, I would feel the same way.

"I try to treat him with respect, but I'm not picking him, so of course I can understand his frustration. There is a line you should not cross, though. I will deal with Marcos when he returns, and it will be kept in-house.''

[rondwisan]

Bruce: I'm the right man for Sunderland
PremierLeague.com

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Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is convinced he remains the best man for the job.

The 50-year-old found himself in the firing line last Saturday as a home defeat by West Bromwich Albion extended the Black Cats' winless Barclays Premier League run to eight matches and left them perched precariously just above the developing scrap for top-flight safety.

It was all in stark contrast to the prevailing emotions on Wearside just a few months ago when Sunderland were contesting a top-six spot and dreaming of a first ever qualification for Europe via the league.

Geordie roots

Bruce acknowledges he will never win over some supporters, who struggle to accept his Geordie roots, but with owner Ellis Short and chairman Niall Quinn still firmly in his corner - for the time being, at least - he is confident he will turn things around.

Asked about the flak flying his way, he said: "I knew coming here, that was part of the territory, and that just shows you how quickly it changes.

"Eight games ago, I was the best thing since sliced bread - in some people's eyes - and within eight games, now all of a sudden people want me out.

"I can understand where they are coming from - I can't quite believe it, but there you go. It is what it is, managing in the north-east. But I still don't regret it, I am still confident I am the right person for the job."

[Andi Istiabudi]

Is Steve Bruce Sunderland’s scapegoat?
Written by James Kent

The current situation at Sunderland is a great example of how quickly football can change. In the first half of the season, Sunderland was looking like a club going places and pushing on to challenge for a place in Europe. But now Sunderland finds themselves near the bottom of the table with just 1 point from their last six games. So what exactly has gone so dramatically wrong at Sunderland?

Well injuries have obviously played their part and it’s typical for teams to have a difficult period at some point during a season. But is this simply a blip? Or something of a much more serious nature? Well I have to say that it seems to be more than just a blip, because Sunderland have gone from the top half of the table to edge of the relegation zone. Bearing in mind that the bottom 3 hasn’t exactly been in superb form that really shows how badly Sunderland has slipped of late.

It may be a little unfair to look at all this with at least not mentioning Darren Bent. It should be remembered that Bent was on fire for Sunderland in the first half of the season and the decision to sell him in the January transfer window has surely been a factor in Sunderland’s poor run of form. It is believed that the decision to sell did not come from the manager. Therefore, are the board paying the price for a lack of ambition? I simply find it hard to believe that Sunderland would be in this position, if Darren Bent was still at the club.

However, the Sunderland board must now sit down and decide if Bruce is the right man to push Sunderland forward. In my opinion Steve Bruce is still a top class manager and should receive some level of loyalty from the board. However, how satisfied they are with Bruce will depend on the expectations for the club and obviously relegation would change everything. Steve Bruce laughed off the suggestion he could get sacked. But he should bear in mind that managers are only as good as the results they get and any manager that has had the run of results Bruce has rightly should be under pressure. And the suggestion his job is safe no matter what shows a level of arrogance that may contribute to his downfall.

Source : http://www.footballfancast.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

Steve Bruce thanks fan that gave him four leaf clover for ending Sunderland's miserable run

Steve Bruce was handed a four-leaf clover before their pivotal game against Wigan but, thanks to an inspired Jordan Henderson, the Sunderland manager did not need to depend on good luck as his club’s fortunes suddenly improved.
By Rob Stewart

Bruce required a helping hand as he faced the prospect of a 10th game without a win that would have raised the spectre of relegation around the Stadium of Light but then Henderson, whose displays had been on the wane, stepped up and emerged as Sunderland’s saviour.

After the match, which Sunderland won 4-2, Bruce produced the clover, which is supposed to bring good luck, from his suit pocket and explained that it had been presented to him by a female Sunderland supporter who had previously given it to former manager Peter Reid when he steered the club to seventh place in the Premier League.

“Someone gave me a four-leaf clover,” Bruce said. “Bless her. She was there with her husband, I don’t know who they are, but I thank them for this win.”

However, in reality it was Henderson who deserved Bruce’s gratitude thanks to two goals in an outstanding second-half performance. It was a welcome change in fortunes for the 20 year-old, who was recently dropped by his manager following a run of poor form since his England debut last November, which had led to him being jeered by Sunderland fans.

“In the last couple of weeks I’ve got better and I think I have proved a point or two,” Henderson said. “Had my form dipped? Maybe a little bit. At no point did I stop working hard or working less than I was. The creative stuff I was doing wasn’t coming off.

“People say you have to be mentally strong during those periods and you can never doubt yourself. It makes you confident when you have all the players and the gaffer around you making sure you are OK. Everyone has been a bit down, but we have stayed strong and we have picked ourselves up.

“This is just the start, I can’t get carried away. I’ve only scored in two games this season and have three goals. It’s not good enough; I’ve got to keep working on it.”

Bruce, who said he “went through every emotion you can think of” as Henderson inspired a stirring comeback, is hoping that, having benefited from a brief rest, the high-energy midfielder regains the form that brought him a senior England cap.

“We are looking for Jordan to go on from here,” Bruce added. “I knew he needed that rest. I could only give him that for a week. Like everyone else, I know he has had a long hard season. There are not many of his age playing 45 games on the spin. I took him out, freshened him up a bit and thankfully he has responded.”

Even though Sunderland ended up without a striker as Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck hobbled off injured – while left-back Phil Bardsley was taken to hospital with concussion – Wigan plunged back into the relegation zone as Roberto Martínez’s side fell apart after Mohamed Diamé’s long-range opener. Gyan restored parity before Henderson scored either side of an Stéphane Sessègnon’s penalty.

“Sunderland had a real need for getting points and their home support was magnificent and I think a couple of players going off injured meant the fans got behind the team even more and it made the whole thing very difficult for us,” Martínez said.

“I cannot have a go at the players because of the way we controlled the game. We scored the first goal and that gave us a lot of belief and that is the way we have to look at it for the next four games. The way we have been performing in the last nine weeks has been excellent and I feel very disappointed with the way we lost this game when we were in control.”

Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk

[VaDLi]

flashback :
late comeback by bruce

brxOzO5mpcM

===

http://igambar.com/p/b6n00

dari squad di atas cuman 4 orang yang masih seger di ingetan gw taun 90an
- Paul Ince
- Gary Pallister
- Dennis Irwin
- Lee Sharpe

yang laennya belom pernah liat lgsg aksinya di tv sejak liga inggris yg mulai ditayangin di Indonesia.

[Andi Istiabudi]

Sunderland boss passes milestone, but there’s no pleasure

STEVE Bruce’s 300th game as a Premier League manager was not one he’ll look back on with any affection.

But Sunderland’s 3-0 home defeat to Fulham on Saturday did underline the fact that longevity is no guarantee of success in what the Black Cats’ manager himself is fond of calling: “the best and toughest league in the world”.

Bruce became only the ninth manager to reach the 300-game milestone, but he did so with his team still not completely safe from the threat of relegation.

And he was insistent after the game that he was taking nothing for granted, despite Sunderland passing the all-important 40-point barrier last week. “We can’t presume anything,” he said of the relegation dogfight.

“We’ve got three games to go and we have to look to pick up some more points to be completely certain. But it’s difficult.

“The last few games have been a total frustration – it has just petered away on the pitch.

“But that’s why the Premier League is one of the hardest leagues in the world. It is very unforgiving.”

Source : http://www.sunderlandecho.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

Bruce denies making Sunderland's injury situation worse
By Scott Wilson

STEVE Bruce has passionately denied accusations that he has contributed to Sunderland's wretched injury record by forcing players to return to first-team action too quickly.

There was more bad news for the Black Cats yesterday as scans detected a fractured fibula that will sideline Kieran Richardson for the remainder of the campaign.

Richardson is one of ten senior players who will miss the final three matches of the season and, like a number of his injured team-mates, the midfielder attempted to return to training, only for his problems to rapidly worsen.

The likes of Craig Gordon, Titus Bramble, David Meyler, Lee Cattermole and Fraizer Campbell have all suffered a recurrence of a previous problem at some stage of the season, leading to criticism of Bruce's selection policy.

The Sunderland boss admits he has never encountered such a crippling injury list, but denies making the situation worse by rushing injured players back into action before they are ready.

"I wouldn't put anybody onto a football pitch who I didn't think was fit enough to take part in the game," said Bruce, who also confirmed that Cattermole and Michael Turner will not feature again this season.

"When they've come back to us, they've been ready. The only one we could maybe say (that did not apply to) was Titus. He'd been out for four weeks and came back and put himself forward saying, ‘I'm fit enough and I want to play'.

"I don't think that (rushing players back) has been an issue, although we're obviously looking at why some of these recurrences have occured.

"A number of our players have had breakdowns and that's something we have to analyse. But I don't think any of those players were rushed back at all.

"I can accept criticism, that's part and parcel of the job, but if I look at myself, I don't think you can take a chance with any of your players."

Nevertheless, Richardson is merely the latest Sunderland player to suffer a serious injury that could yet hamper their preparation for the start of next season.

Bruce is hoping the England international will be available for the start of pre-season training in July, but after his injury, which was sustained in last month's win over West Brom, remained undetected for almost a month, it is hard to put too precise a time frame on his recovery.

"Kieran got a knock in the West Brom game and the surgeon went with him to have some X-rays straight after game," said Bruce. "The X-rays and report showed nothing was damaged. He then went to have a CT scan, which came back as nothing except for a badly bruised bone.

"He then tried to train two or three times, but things were not getting better. It was pretty obvious he couldn't train, so we scanned his leg again and detected a stress fracture in his left fibula. The medical staff tell me a stress fracture can appear ten days to three weeks after the injury occurs.

"It's obviously a blow, but it just really sums up what's been happening since January. In the last few months, it's been one thing after another."

Like Richardson, Meyler will also not be involved in the final three games of the season.

Instead, the Irish midfielder, who returned from a six-month absence in December, only to suffer a recurrence of his knee injury at Aston Villa on January 5, will travel to the United States to conduct a month-long rehabilitation programme with a leading knee specialist.

"David's going to America to see a specialist and do some conditioning work," confirmed Bruce. "It's a programme that's been tailored specifically to him.

"It's strengthening work rather than an operation or anything like that, and it's a big time for him to try to make some progress with his problem."

The mounting injury problems have contributed to Sunderland's worst run of the season, with the Black Cats winning just one of their last 11 matches as they have tumbed to 14th position in the table.

Bruce's position as manager has been called into question as a result, but while he understands the fans' frustration, the North-Easterner insists no club could have coped with the absence of up to a dozen senior players.

"It (the criticism) doesn't surprise me because I always knew how difficult it would be to be a manager up here," he said. "When you have five different phone-ins every night, then you know what's going to be coming.

"People have been saying, ‘Off with the manager's head', but I think I'm experienced enough to know what being a manager's all about.

"One week I'm the best thing since sliced toast - the next I'm incompetent. But I don't think any club could have coped with what's happened. We haven't been able to cope, but I still maintain we have the nucleus of a decent squad."

Source : http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk

[Andi Istiabudi]

Bruce rallies the troops

Steve Bruce is looking to round off Sunderland's home campaign on a high against Wolves this weekend.

http://i53.tinypic.com/2hq80fk.jpg

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has rallied the club's fans ahead of his side's final home game of the season this Saturday lunchtime as the Black Cats go in search of their third-highest top flight finish in 55 years.

Bruce was full of praise for the travelling fans at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday after their wholehearted backing spurred Sunderland on to a 93rd-minute winner against Bolton Wanderers.

The Sunderland manager continues to target a top-half finish - something only achieved twice in the top division, in 2000 and 2001, since a ninth-place finish in 1956.

And Bruce is encouraging supporters to once again turn out in their droves this Saturday as Sunderland play their final home game of the season against Mick McCarthy's Wolves this Saturday (KO 12.45pm).

Bruce said: "The support we have had, not only on Saturday, but throughout the season has been quite amazing. The north east is unique in that sense. The passion people show for their football club is extraordinary.

"The fans played a huge part at Bolton and when you consider that we could have more than ten times that amount at home against Wolves on Saturday, it's a massive advantage to have."

With a number of Barclays Premier League clubs upgrading final home fixtures to Category A status - ramping up prices - SAFC are maintaining Saturday's fixture at Category B status, with tickets starting from £10 for concessions and £23 for adults.

Bruce added: "We are now in a position, with the run-in we have, where we can really have a good go at it and achieve what would be the club's third best finish in 55 years.

"Make no mistake, the other two clubs [Wolves and West Ham United] are fighting for their lives, but we also know we could send a packed stadium home happy this Saturday and we have a real chance to finish on a high."

Source : http://www.safc.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

STEVE BRUCE: ALEX FERGUSON WOULD WIN IT WITH TOP-FOUR RIVALS
By Niall Hickman

SIR ALEX Ferguson would have guided any of the current top-four clubs to this season’s Premier League title, it was claimed last night.

His former title-winning skipper Steve Bruce believes Ferguson makes all the difference and adds that certain something which separates the winners from also-rans.

It is a tribute to Ferguson’s enduring quality – but also an indirect swipe at the competing abilities of Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger and Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.

Bruce helped Ferguson win United’s first title for 26 years back in 1993, leading the side who ended their long championship drought. Since then, title after title has returned to Old Trafford and Ferguson needs just one point from United’s last two games to overtake Liverpool and win a record-breaking 19th championship.

Bruce, whose Sunderland side stand in mid-table following a horrendous run of injuries, said: “United were fantastic against Chelsea.

“It was a great performance. I hope they can reproduce it and beat Barcelona in the same fashion.

“If Sir Alex had been manager of any of the Premier League’s top four, they would have won the title.

“He is a genius. He is the greatest ever. I don’t think anyone will get close to his achievements.”

Source : http://www.express.co.uk

[Andi Istiabudi]

Poor form sees Bruce learn about expectation levels
By Steph Clark

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce admits the past few months have been the toughest he has experienced in management, but insists he has learned a lot about the expectation that comes with managing a North-East club.

Last weekend's win at Bolton lifted Bruce's side clear of trouble after a worrying run of eight games without a win saw the Black Cats slip into the relegation battle.

That run of form also piled the pressure on Bruce, who received a wave of criticism from certain sections of fans, who were even calling for the boss to be sacked.

Rewind a few months and it was a completely different story with the Wearsiders lying in sixth position having taken 37 points from 24 games, with a top-ten finish looking almost certain.

Despite their abysmal run, there is still a chance Sunderland can finish in the top-ten should they win their two remaining games against strugglers Wolves and West Ham and the Black Cats boss insists that is still the aim.

Bruce admits there is no room for hiding when it comes to his team's collapse, but insists that the run of eight without a win included games against five of the Premier League's top-six teams.

Speaking about the expectation that comes with managing in the North-East, Bruce says he now understands how quickly things can change.

"In our defence we were against the top six, we weren't against the bottom lot, but for whatever excuses we've got I know we've had major problems," Bruce said.

"The vast majority can see through that, but it's made me learn how quickly the North-East changes and how difficult it is here.

"I wouldn't change anything let's get that straight but it does change very quickly, it can turn here for whatever reason.

"It's been the most difficult period I've probably ever had. It's taught me about the North-East too.

"It's taught me about the expectation. I knew all about it beforehand, of how difficult it is, because it changes like your vest.

"One minute you're going along very nicely and all of a sudden within weeks, I'm incompetent and that's how difficult it is here."

Sunderland took 4,500 fans to the Reebok Stadium on Saturday, something Bruce admits highlights the hunger for success in the region.

Born and raised in Northumberland, Bruce understands the passion that surrounds football in the region and admits that after spells managing in different parts of the country, nowhere is quite like the North-East.

He said: "It is driven by the media, no disrespect to anyone who's involved in the media, but here we have phone-ins every night of the week on four stations. That never happens anywhere else in the country.

"It's an insatiable appetite for football in the area. It's taught me a lesson but I still wouldn't swap it.

"We have a level of expectation. For one thing the size of the crowds we get is fantastic.

"If we get 40,000 this week we'll average over 40,000 for every home game this season and for a club like us that's quite incredible. They enjoy the football so much.

"The 4,500 that went to Bolton last week. Thank God we won for them because they were terrific."

Source : http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

[Andi Istiabudi]

Kasihan juga kalau Steve Bruce sampai dipecat, sebenarnya dia cocok melatih untuk klub-klub menengah Inggris ...

STEVE BRUCE: I NEED NINE CATS' LIVES TO SAVE MY SKIN
By Clive Hetherington

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01750/steve-bruce_1750787c.jpg

STEVE BRUCE faces a huge fight to persuade Sunderland’s wealthy owner Ellis Short to splash the cash on up to NINE new signings this summer.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is under growing pressure after his side’s dramatic mid-season slump.

And he admits his *Sunderland career could be over if he fails to find a replacement for Darren Bent.

Injuries to key strikers was a contributing factor but it was the loss of Bent, 27, to Aston Villa in a £24million deal in January that had the biggest impact on this season.

The Sunderland gaffer believes wealthy Yankee backer Short knows he must splash out after losing the club’s key striker.

Since Bent’s departure, Sunderland have taken just ten points out of 42 and didn’t win a single match *between January 23 and April 23.

Injuries to £13m record-buy *Asamoah Gyan, 25, on-loan *Manchester United youngster Danny Welbeck, 20, and Fraizer Campbell, 23, have left them *without a senior striker.

But Bruce is more *determined than ever to win over the fans.

West Ham striker Demba Ba, who turns 26 on Wednesday and faces the Mackems today at Upton Park, is one of Bruce’s *targets.

Brucie said: “I don’t have any *regrets over *Darren Bent. It was very *difficult at the time but the boy wanted to go. Obviously we’ve missed him. We have also had the problem of Welbeck, Campbell and Gyan *being injured.

“I’m meeting the owner next week. He has put in a fair few quid here but knows the squad size is unhealthy. It’s a huge challenge.”

Bruce has spent around £60m during his two years in charge of the Black Cats but will argue he has shown a net profit on transfers.

Short though is understood to be unhappy with some of Bruce’s big signings, particularly Paraguay midfielder Cristian Riveros and Argentina right-back Marcos Angeleri, who have hardly figured this season.

Bruce signed a new three-year deal in February but Sunderland are 14th going into today’s final game at West Ham, a place lower than they finished last season.

Source : http://www.dailystar.co.uk

[Andi Istiabudi]

Steve Bruce: Laga Persahabatan Yang Tak Masuk Akal

Bola.net - Manajer Sunderland, Steve Bruce menganggap laga persahabatan yang dijadwalkan di tengah pekan ini sebagai sesuatu yang tak berguna dan juga tak masuk akal.

Beberapa pemain Liga Premier Inggris dipanggil untuk memperkuat negara masing-masing hanya beberapa hari menjelang digulirkannya musim baru. Salah satu diantaranya adalah laga Inggris melawan Belanda hari Rabu (10/8) waktu setempat. Bruce beralasan laga tersebut rentan akan membuat pemain cedera, akibat kondisi yang belum sepenuhnya fit.

"Ada 7 pemain kami yang dipanggil untuk bermain di laga persahabatan yang tak penting, sungguh hal yang menggelikan," ucap Bruce.

"Saya tidak dapat mengerti mengapa ada laga persahabatan sebelum kompetisi bergulir. Dan jika melihat pengalaman kami di musim lalu, sepertinya ini akan merusak rencana kami di awal musim."

"Saya tidak pernah tertarik dengan laga pra musim, saya membencinya sewaktu aktif bermain."

Hingga menjelang digulirnya Liga Premier, kubu Sunderland termasuk yang beruntung karena tidak ada pemain kunci yang cedera. Dan dengan bekal ini The Black Cats berharap bisa lebih baik dari musim lalu.

"Selain John O'Shea, yang baru bisa turun minggu depan, semua pemain dalam keadaan siap," pungkas mantan tangan kanan Sir Alex Ferguson ini. (gl/mac)

Source : http://www.bola.net

[Andi Istiabudi]

Duh Steve Bruce dipecat, padahal menurut saya dia termasuk pelatih yang kharismatik.Oiya pasca pemecatan Bruce bagaimana yach hubungan Sunderland dan Manchester United kedepannya ? Selama ini saat dilatih Bruce banyak pemain United yang bergabung atau dipinjamkan ke Sunderland. Poor Steve Bruce ...

http://img.skysports.com/11/11/800x600/bruce_2685206.jpg

[Andi Istiabudi]

Saya juga menyayangkan pemecatan Steve Bruce :(

Pardew Sesalkan Pemecatan Steve Bruce

Bola.net - Didepaknya Steve Bruce dari kursi manajer Sunderland kemarin ternyata menyisakan penyesalan dari koleganya di Newcastle, Alan Pardew.

Bruce dilengserkan setelah manajemen The Black Cats merasa tak puas dengan kinerjanya di klub yang hanya mencatat dua kemenangan dari 13 laga musim ini dan sekarang terdampar di posisi 16 klasemen - hanya dua poin di atas zona merah.

"Tak pernah menyenangkan rasanya, menjadi anggota LMA (League Managers' Association), dan melihat salah satu rekan manajer saya kehilangan pekerjaannya," sesal Pardew.

"Saya tak inginkan hal itu meski ia adalah rival terberat untuk kami. Saya amat kecewa kini ia tak ada lagi. Saya harap ia melihat semua rekor yang dimilikinya sepanjang karir, dan itu sungguh luar biasa."

"Saya mendoakannya yang terbaik. Kita lihat saja siapa manajer baru mereka (Sunderland) dan kemana mereka melangkah dari sana," pungkas Pardew.

Asisten Bruce, Eric Black sementara ini dilaporkan sementara akan menggantikan posisinya saat Sunderland menghadapi Wolverhampton akhir pekan ini.

Namun pihak Sunderland membatalkan konferensi pers sebelum laga yang dijadwalkan Jumat kemarin, mengindikasikan akan kemungkinan masuknya manajer baru sebelum laga di Molineux Stadium tersebut. (espn/row)

Source : http://www.bola.net