Source: SKY_Sports
Bruce - Zenden's still got it
Steve Bruce is confident Sunderland new boy Bolo Zenden will prove to still have what it takes to flourish in the Premier League.
The 33-year-old Dutchman has returned to the Premier League on a deal until the end of the season after impressing while on trial at the Stadium of Light.
Zenden, previously of PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Marseille, certainly has the pedigree to earn a longer stay in the North East.
Although primarily used during the early part of his career as a left winger, Bruce now sees him as a central midfielder.
He said: "He can play in both [positions], but he has still got fantastic energy for someone of his age.
"He is technically very, very good - you don't play for Barcelona and Liverpool and Marseille and Chelsea and all of those teams if you haven't got really good ability. That was never in question.
"He will give us that little bit of experience and also around the dressing room with the younger lads too, he is everything I hoped he would be.
"That bit of experience, that bit of know-how is very welcome. He is an intelligent boy."
Zenden's arrival could hardly have been more timely with summer signing Lee Cattermole facing at least three months on the sidelines with knee ligament damage.
He was introduced for the first time at the weekend after Cattermole had been carried off on a stretcher with the injury which will keep him out until well into the New Year.
Zenden and teenager Jordan Henderson will now compete for the vacant berth alongside skipper Lorik Cana as the Black Cats attempt to build on their impressive start to the season.
Bruce says will have no qualms about throwing Zenden in if he feels he is the right man for the job.
He said: "My big issue was he physically fit enough? If it was going to take six, eight weeks to get him into come sort of physical condition, it might have been a different scenario.
"But he has kept himself in remarkable nick. He is very, very fit and he has done very well."
