Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce reveals delight at landing top target Gyan
SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce has spoken of his delight at finally capturing longterm target Asamoah Gyan and revealed he had been chasing the Ghanaian striker before he even signed Darren Bent.[LNB] The 24-year-old became Sunderland's record signing when he put pen to paper on a deal worth around £13m on transfer deadline day last week.[LNB] Bruce is a long-time admirer of Ghanaian who starred at this year's World Cup but had to be patient in his bid to bring the former Rennes man to Wearside.[LNB] I was actually after Gyan a year ago, when we had Benty on the go, said Bruce.[LNB] He was definitely our top target. The problem we had with him over the summer was that I didn't think we were going to get him.[LNB] You have to say fair play to the owner, because of Frazier getting injured I think they [Rennes] knew they could stick to their asking price and never budge.[LNB] But with what happened to Frazier it became a necessity and I didn't just want to go down the route of bringing in somebody for the sake of it.[LNB] After the sale of Kenwyne Jones to Stoke, Bruce knew he had to move quickly to bring in a replacement to ease pressure on Bent and the manager revealed it was touch and go at one point as to whether he would get his man.[LNB] A lot of people questioned me over Kenwyne, he said.[LNB] We let him go without a replacement in situ in fact, it was further away than ever with Gyan at the time.[LNB] We had to make sure that we got him in the last week of the transfer window, let's put it that way.[LNB] We've got someone who is desperate to do well and with a bit of hunger in his belly to prove it.[LNB] I first watched him three years ago and I've consistently kept watching him.[LNB] He basically has a go. He's a wonderful athlete with a great attitude. I remember him in the World Cup the penalty miss. It was unjust that Ghana didn't get to the semi-finals and it was unfortunate that he missed the penalty.[LNB] But he still had the courage to stand up and take the first one and smash it in the top corner. I thought then He'll do for me'.[LNB] Gyan was the ninth summer signing in a transfer window full of wheeling and dealing for Bruce but the Black Cats boss insists that such frantic spells are over at the Stadium of Light.[LNB] The era of big changes is over, definitely. Bruce said.[LNB] I'm approaching a year and a half of a three-year contract and I can't envisage me going and doing at Christmas or next summer what we've just done.[LNB] For a start I'll exhaust everyone at the club and myself![LNB] We've had something like 28 out in not even year and a half.[LNB] Of course there will be room for improvement you never stop demanding that as a manager but there will be no more transfer windows where we see nine or ten going out.[LNB] There might be one for one but it will be gradual now. We need time to work with this squad.[LNB] There have been huge, huge changes but overall I'm delighted with what we've done and the squad we've got.[LNB] Since Bruce arrived in the summer of 2009, no fewer than 26 players have left the club.[LNB] Now he believes he has a much stronger squad than he did 12 months ago and says it is time for the squad to show what they can do.[LNB] I said to Niall after the Manchester City game when everyone was on a high we coped and beat Manchester City without Mensah, Turner and Onouha. That wouldn't have been possible 12 months ago.[LNB] I've made sweeping changes and the question has to be Are we better than we were 12 months ago because of it' I believe the answer is yes we are.[LNB] I look around the squad and I think we're far, far better in all departments. The depth we've got defensively is the right balance. We've got there with that.[LNB] I'm pleased with what we've done but now the proof is in the pudding can we improve on our results[LNB] Of course, there's got to be stability. But that is also down to me to get the results which give us stability.[LNB]
