Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce raises club’s sights
DESPITE unequivocal assurances about his future as Sunderland manager, Steve Bruce last night insisted he is not about to take such backing from American billionaire Ellis Short for granted.[LNB] Rather than solely focus on ensuring the Black Cats survive in the Premier League this season, Bruce reaffirmed his commitment to altering the national perception of a club renowned for struggling.[LNB] In the past Roy Keane and chairman Niall Quinn have repeatedly spoken of the need to do that.[LNB] But Bruce has been promised that he has the time to ensure it can happen.[LNB] Ending a 14-match winless league run with victory over Bolton on Tuesday might has improved Sunderland's position towards the wrong end of the top-flight table.[LNB] But Bruce feels, despite being told he will be still in charge regardless of the division they are in next season, he cannot rest easy until he has changed the mentality and attitudes towards the club.[LNB] I will never take anything for granted, said Bruce, ahead of tomorrow's match with Manchester City at the Stadium of Light.[LNB] One of the reasons I came here was because of the owner and his ambitions. We all know the chairman.[LNB] Both of them let me manage and get on with it. For that I will always be grateful and try my best.[LNB] It is difficult though. Look at Adam Johnson.[LNB] We trailed him for six months, the opportunity comes and he goes to City instead.[LNB] That is what we have to overcome.[LNB] We have the money but it is difficult to get the ones who make us better.[LNB] Eventually we will get there.[LNB] The higher up you finish the more chance you have got of getting your targets. Of course I was disappointed at not getting Adam.[LNB] The same goes for Richard Dunne, Peter Crouch, Sylvain Distin. But I have a good job. A difficult one, but a good one.[LNB] After a chance meeting with Short on the pitch before Tuesday's victory, Bruce also sat down with him and Quinn the following day to discuss the direction he wants the club to head.[LNB] But having been one of Sir Alex Ferguson's early signings during the late 1980s for Manchester United, he accepts how difficult it is to transform Sunderland from relegation candidates to European hopefuls. That, though, is what Short is chasing.[LNB] I was at United and it took them six years to get it right. Not six months. That is what it is now, said Bruce.[LNB] What the owner wants is to get us established as a Premier League club and not have this thing hanging over it that it will always be involved in relegation.[LNB] But you are up against big clubs with big histories.[LNB] This club has never had the finances to be able to attract.[LNB] We have a damn good chance now.[LNB] Wednesday's meeting was mainly about what the owner has done for the football club and what he wants to do. It is incredible what he wants to do here. If you are a Sunderland fan it is terrific.[LNB] Bruce, claiming he would never walk away from the job', heads into tomorrow's match having never lost to City as a player, but if he is to maintain that sort of form he could do with leading Sunderland to back-toback Premier League wins for the first time in 15 months.[LNB] It shows just how difficult the Premier League is, he said. The hardest is to go back-to-back winning at home and winning away.[LNB] Going into March we had only lost to Chelsea and Villa. We have been decent at home.[LNB]
