Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce: 'Henderson departure was key to summer rebuilding'
STEVE Bruce last night admitted Sunderland would not have been able to embark on their radical summer restructuring had they not sold Jordan Henderson to Liverpool.[LNB] Henderson will make his Liverpool debut tomorrow when the Black Cats visit Anfield for their opening game of the new Premier League season.[LNB] The 21-year-old became the second England international to leave the Stadium of Light in the space of six months when he completed a £20m move to Merseyside, sparking fears that Sunderland's status as a mid-ranking top-flight club was preventing them from being able to hold on to their leading players.[LNB] Bruce accepts that some supporters were dismayed by the sale of a homegrown Academy product, but having invested more than £22m in the purchase of nine new signings, all of whom are commanding considerable wages, the Black Cats boss insists the ends have justified the means.[LNB] "First and foremost, we wish Jordan well," said Bruce, who does not anticipate being involved in any more transfer business before the season begins. "He's had a meteoric rise from being a youth-team player here to going to play for England and commanding the fee he has.[LNB] "I sincerely wish him the best because of the way he is as a boy. He's got an outstanding chance of being a top, top player, but sometimes you have to see the bigger picture.[LNB] "Yes, we might have lost an individual, but it's enabled me to go and get five or six players to add to the squad. That makes us stronger in depth and sometimes you have to look at that.[LNB] "It doesn't matter who you are or what club you are, sometimes you have to make those decisions.[LNB] "If Jordan hadn't gone, I'd have been a lot less active. It's enabled us to strengthen, and it's important the supporters can see that we've reinvested the money back into the squad."[LNB] When Bruce first arrived on Wearside, Henderson was a reserve-team player who had only just returned from a loan spell at Coventry City.[LNB] The fact that so many other Championship clubs wanted him on loan immediately alerted Bruce to his potential, and a string of impressive pre-season performances resulted in the Wearsider being elevated to the first-team squad.[LNB] He went on to make 70 Premier League appearances in the space of two seasons, winning a maiden England cap along the way, and Bruce is confident he will develop into one of the leading midfielders in the country with Liverpool.[LNB] He expects him to play on the right-hand side, and admits his link up with Andy Carroll is something Sunderland will have to be wary of tomorrow.[LNB] "You've got to remember he's still young, but he's an outstanding talent and if he doesn't (improve), it won't be for the lack of trying," said Bruce. "He'll do everything properly.[LNB] "He's a great pro, a great lad and he'll give it everything he's got, so I'd expect him to kick on and be a big hit.[LNB] "Will he play wide Well, for me, his delivery from wide is second to none, so considering who they've got up front, that could be a possibility. He could play anywhere across the middle for me, but his best position could be on the right-hand side."[LNB] Bruce will spend the next 24 hours attempting to formulate a plan to neuter Henderson' effectiveness, and has been buoyed by the safe return of all of his midweek internationals.[LNB] John O'Shea and David Meyler are the only senior players who will not be considered for tomorrow's trip to Anfield, with the Black Cats looking to record their first success on the ground since Gary Rowell's penalty secured a 1-0 win in October 1983.[LNB] "We couldn't have wished for a harder game to start with, with the return of Kenny (Dalglish) and the business they've done in the transfer market," said Bruce. "It's reinvigorated Liverpool in the last six months or so.[LNB] "But we're up for the challenge. The Liverpool game has been steeped in controversy over the last couple of seasons, what with the beach ball goal (in October 2009) and the incident last year with Michael Turner's back-heel.[LNB] "It's always an intriguing game. It'll be a difficult start, but it would have been tough to go anywhere away from home on the first day.[LNB] "Can we go and produce the form we did last year Let's have a go and see where we are."[LNB]
