Sunderland Football Club

• Nickname:Black Cats
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Paolo Di Canio

• Ground:Stadium of light
• Capacity:48353

Bruce relieved to trim squad

04 Sep 2009 - 11:59:28

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Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has revealed that he is happy with the business he was able to do before the transfer window closed on Tuesday.

Since replacing Ricky Sbragia in the Stadium of Light hot-seat in May, Bruce has signed the likes of Michael Turner, Lee Cattermole, Darren Bent, Lorik Cana, John Mensah and Fraizer Campbell as well as allowing ten players to leave.

Bruce told The Echo: "If I'm honest, there were so many changes to be made that I thought, 'is it too quick?', 'is it too many? But then I thought, 'here's a chance to trim a squad which I thought was far too big.

"I'm here on a three-year contract and you hope to be judged at the end of that on how successful you've been.

"I started with addressing the spine of the team where I think we've added that strength and depth. I think with the players we've brought in we're in a far healthier situation than we were 12 months ago.

"Certainly the additions of John Mensah and Michael Turner in particular will give us that.

"Lee Cattermole and Lorik Cana have already set their mark, and of course there's Fraizer Campbell and Darren Bent up front.

"John Mensah's the captain of his country and he went to Lyon for £9million a year ago.

"For one reason or another it hasn't quite happened for him at Lyon while Michael Turner is someone who I've always admired, even in the lower divisions.

"He's the right age, he's English, he's the type that I think we needed - a big header of the ball."