Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce: We've got the characters for derby day
STEVE BRUCE geared up for tomorrow's noon showdown with Wear-Tyne rivals Newcastle United by insisting Sunderland's new-look squad now possesses the character required to deliver on derby day.[LNB] Bruce still reflects on last October's 5-1 defeat at St James' Park as the "worst defeat" he has endured in his 30 years in football, but he claims to have learned valuable lessons from such a dressing down.[LNB] Despite claiming a last-ditch draw in the return fixture at the Stadium of Light in January and finishing above the Magpies in May, Bruce realised his squad lacked big game players.[LNB] Over the summer, however, he has gone about strengthening his defence with two experienced hands in the defensive ranks from Manchester United in the shape of Wes Brown and John O'Shea.[LNB] O'Shea has recovered from a hamstring problem and is rated at 50-50 to make his competitive debut against Newcastle, with Bruce thinking about making one or two changes to the team that drew at Liverpool.[LNB] But, whatever team he names for tomorrow, the Sunderland manager believes Newcastle are going to be facing a tougher unit to that they faced last season.[LNB] "Wes and John will handle the occasion which is something we did not do last year," said Bruce, who did admit that O'Shea's lack of match fitness is playing on his mind ahead of selecting his team.[LNB] "A lot of the players now have handled these occasions before. It is not going to faze them at all. It is important you don't get caught up in it but they have handled cup finals and European finals. No matter what I say and preach, you don't really know how to handle it until you sample it.[LNB] "It will be a full house and it will be rocking so it is all about handling the atmosphere and the occasion. You are going to get yellow cards, but it is important to play the game and not the occasion and play our own football."[LNB] Bruce accepted Newcastle appear to be weaker in the character department, following the departures of Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll. He was, though, keen to stress Newcastle still have players capable of delivering on the big day.[LNB] "Of course I am happy Nolan and Carroll are not there but they will have players who will take their place," he said. "They got a good result against Arsenal but whoever is on the pitch, that is what it is all about. Some will handle it better than others."[LNB] Even if O'Shea starts for Sunderland tomorrow there is a likelihood that Anton Ferdinand will retain his place alongside Brown at the heart of the defence.[LNB] Ferdinand has looked impressive in his last few matches for the Black Cats and Bruce, who would still listen to offers for the former West Ham man, thinks it is not a coincidence that he has had a new centre-back partner.[LNB] "Playing alongside Wes is easy," said Bruce. "Certainly he has brought Anton along too and he has enjoyed playing alongside Wes. Looking at him last week I would have enjoyed playing with Wes.[LNB] "Wes is totally 100 per cent committed and he is a big player for us if he stays fit because his mentality is terrific. He is old school, tough uncompromising and a real defender.[LNB] "Anton has only a year left on his contract and the gauntlet has been laid down to him. Can he maintain it Can he keep his level of performance up He is capable of it but when he becomes complacent you see the worst of him."[LNB] Ferdinand did not figure in the 5-1 defeat at Newcastle last October, but he did play in the 1-1 draw on Wearside in January. Bruce will be looking for every member of his new look squad to show they have the mentality to cope with a North-East derby.[LNB] Bruce, who played down any progress in his interest in Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar after the player's agents claims in midweek, said: "I am delighted with the direction we are going in.[LNB] "A lot of players last year had not experienced a derby before and if I am honest we did not handle it but I am pretty confident we will now.[LNB] "We will be ready for that challenge. There was a lot of hype around the second game but my keeper did not have a shot to save and I don't think both sides played at all. "The way we are now set up, we have to play. We have to play our game but we also need to have the courage to play proper football."[LNB]
