Source: Daily_Mail
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce: I'll never be forgiven for that 5-1 defeat
Steve Bruce believes his standing with Sunderland supporters is on the line in this afternoon's Wear-Tyne derby. [LNB]Although his list of credits includes steering the team into thePremier League's top six, he is concerned it could all count fornothing if they cannot avenge the 5-1 defeat by archrivals Newcastlethree months ago. [LNB]'Whatever impression I'd made on the Sunderland fans was taken away in one game,' he said. [LNB] Revenge mission: Steve Bruce reacts as Sunderland are taken apart by Newcastle[LNB]'If that had then spiralled into five or six defeats, then I would have probably been in trouble. [LNB]'In some people's eyes, I'll never be forgiven. I can understand that. But I think the vast majority of the die-hards will think, "Do you know what? Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. It's a one-off. Let's hope he can go and improve it". [LNB]'I get pretty sick of talking about it but I'll have to live with it for ever. I suppose a bit like Sir Alex getting beaten 5-1 by City. For all the great things he's done, they still remind him, and it was 20- odd years ago.' [LNB]Bruce, who admitted he still has not watched a replay of the match at St James' Park, sought consolation in the way Sunderland responded. [LNB]'If we hadn't, it could have been me in the same line-up as anybody else for the high jump,' he said. [LNB]'Thankfully, in the games we've had since then we've done remarkably well. We've had some great results. To win at Chelsea, to win at Villa and to play the way we've played is testament to the players: that they have rolled up their sleeves and tried to do something about it. [LNB] Young and the restless: Inexperience was partly to blame for Sunderland's thrashing by Newcastle[LNB]'You analyse everything. I honestly believe that, on the day, we just didn't handle the occasion and the young lads got caught up with it. [LNB]'In hindsight we probably had too many on the pitch who were young. If you look at the team that day - Danny Welbeck, for instance. He is far, far better equipped now than he was four months ago. Now he's a really, really big player. Of course we've got Jordan Henderson and Lee Cattermole, but when I looked all around the place it was full of young players.' [LNB]The Sunderland boss insisted he can handle the pressure of being in charge at a club where the expectations of the supporters have never matched their results. [LNB]He said: 'We're all under pressure, as we're seeing with Hodgson, Houllier and Ancelotti. I never thought I'd hear Aston Villa ringing round with "You're getting sacked in the morning" at their own manager. He has only been there five months. [LNB]'That's what it is now, unfortunately. The Premier League is a fantastic spectacle but the profile of it has created that for all managers. You've got to have something about you to say, "Do your best. Get on with it. Try harder". [LNB]'It would have been quite easy for me to stay at Wigan. I didn't earn any financial gain coming to Sunderland, believe me, so I didn't come here for a pay rise.'[LNB] Newcastle are a striker light but Pardew targets a win in first derbyRevenge missions: Why Sunderland can bounce back from derby drubbingSUNDERLAND FC: All the latest news from across the web[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Steve Bruce, Danny Welbeck, Lee Cattermole Places: Newcastle
