Bruce: Give Bramble a chance

22 July 2010 13:16
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has pleaded with the club's fans to give prospective new signing Titus Bramble a chance to prove himself.[LNB] The 28-year Wigan defender was in Portugal at the Black Cats' Algarve training camp on Thursday putting the final touches to his move to Wearside - with opinion divided back at home following his infamous blunder-plagued spell with derby rivals Newcastle.[LNB]However Bruce, who worked with Bramble during his time with the Latics, is confident he would be able to reproduce his best form at the Stadium of Light.[LNB]He told the Sunderland Echo: "Look, I thought long and hard about signing him, long and hard because I knew it might be a difficult one for Sunderland fans and for him.[LNB]"But the great thing is that the lad's got plenty of bottle - he wanted to come here, he wanted to play for me and Sunderland, and I feel sure that Sunderland fans will recognise that and give him a fair crack of the whip.[LNB]"At the end of the day, Sunderland fans want the same as me and the same as Titus Bramble, which is success for this club.[LNB]"If Titus shows - as I think he will - that he can make us better, then I don't think supporters will have a problem accepting him.[LNB]"The easiest thing would have been not to sign him and to avoid any hassle, but I think he's a player who can genuinely improve us.[LNB]"He had a difficult start to his top-flight career. I think the move to Newcastle was too soon for him, it was too big a club at too tender an age and he's had his work cut out to shift the image of himself he created there."[LNB]Meanwhile, England keeper David James' representatives are in talks with Sunderland as Bruce considers his options in the wake of Craig Gordon's latest injury misfortune.

Source: Team_Talk