Source: Team_Talk
Ref Webb to advise Black Cats
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has invited referee Howard Webb to advise his players on how to improve the club's poor disciplinary record.[LNB] Bruce is looking to seek guidance from the World Cup final official in an attempt to address his side's problems, which were highlighted by skipper Lee Cattermole's opening day dismissal at home to Birmingham.[LNB]Since Bruce took over at the Stadium of Light in June 2009, the manager has seen his side rack up 95 yellow cards and 10 reds, and he feels such indiscipline is costing his side points.[LNB]"It was our request," Bruce said.[LNB]"Most Premier League teams are requesting it because of the new rule changes. When you get someone of Howard's calibre coming up the players will obviously listen.[LNB]"Hopefully they will take some advice and it will sink in. I hope the message has sunk in because I'm fed up of hearing disciplinary charges. [LNB]"We decided to get Howard in to get his perspective and hopefully the players will learn from it. I will do anything I can to change this around.[LNB]"I have managed some teams whose discipline has been, how can I say? Dear, oh dear. But my lot here are perfectly OK. For some reason we end up with more reds and yellows than anyone else."[LNB]Bruce feels that Sunderland are 'shooting themselves in the foot' after speaking to his side about their disciplinary record, but feels that if they can improve then so will results.[LNB]"We've spoken about discipline the week before the opening fixture and now the week after too. That is 10 red cards since I've been here and if my maths is right that adds up to one every four weeks, which is just ludicrous. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot," admitted Bruce.[LNB]"It's hard enough to win a Premier League game without all these silly, avoidable cards we keep picking up. Trying to win with 10 men is hard.[LNB]"We've spoken about it repeatedly and must improve on it. For 60 to 70 minutes we hardly gave Birmingham a kick but in the Premier League playing with 10 men catches up with you and ultimately it cost us because we defended deeper and deeper.[LNB]"It has been unfortunate but if we address it and keep 11 men on the pitch, our results will improve."
