Source: Northern_Echo
Squad can develop into Cats’ best, claims Bruce
STEVE Bruce believes his squad has the makings of the best in Sunderland's history and warns his side will continue to improve on their great start to the season.[LNB] The Black Cats sit in seventh place in the Premier League, having lost just three times this season, and they'll be looking to extend their unbeaten home run when fellow high-flyers Bolton Wanders travel to the Stadium of Light tomorrow lunchtime.[LNB] The last time the sides met on Wearside, Bruce's men were enduring a run of 14 games without a win, which left them dangling just above the relegation zone. But a 4-0 thumping of Owen Coyle's side in March got the Black Cats back on track.[LNB] In his 18 months at the club, Bruce has done plenty of wheeling and dealing but now feels he has the nucleus of a squad that can push for better things.[LNB] With managerial casualties beginning to mount up in the top flight, Bruce is thankful the club stuck by him during their 14-game winless run last season. And although he knows it could happen again at any time, he is confident the squad is better equipped than it was 12 months ago.[LNB] It was a horrible time, but we did draw seven, Bruce said. There will be times when you come up against it and you will have a bad month or six weeks or three months like I had last season.[LNB] Thankfully that is why I came here under Niall because I knew he would understand, a bit like Dave Whelan did. The owner backed me and Roy Keane before me and we have the nucleus I would say of Sunderland's best squad.[LNB] Where else could you have had two centre forwards like we have except maybe with Quinn and Philips. Then there's Welbeck behind them and two England midfielders but it is important we keep improving.[LNB] We haven't finished.[LNB] We have more strength and depth. We have lost two or three but overall we are far far stronger. We can't do any more defensively.[LNB] We have kept eight clean sheets and that is without Turner and Bramble for a few weeks. So I hope we get through January and don't get any more serious injuries because we have had four in six months.[LNB] We are far stronger than 18 months ago and I would even argue before I took over when I compare the squad.[LNB] In January 2009, Bruce's Wigan side were doing well in the Premier League but after being forced to sell three key players, their season crumbled and they finished just above the relegation zone.[LNB] With the backing of both chairman and owner at Sunderland, Bruce is in a similar position but knows he doesn't have to lose any of his key men.[LNB] With whispers about a possible European place, the Black Cats boss hopes his players can handle the expectation.[LNB] Christmas to Christmas we got 63 points at Wigan but unfortunately I sold Valencia, Palacios and Heskey ouch![LNB] Bruce said.[LNB] Then it was not quite the same but for a week I had the makings of a very very good team.[LNB] But I knew I had to break it up because I knew I had to sell them.[LNB] If I had kept all of them it was a very very good side and we could have got into Europe.[LNB] Hopefully I can get us in that situation and we are not too far off. There comes an expectation and when you have that you need big players to handle it.[LNB] That is what playing for a club like this means and maybe we haven't had the players here to handle it since the Quinn and Phillips days.[LNB] Being at a club like this comes with an expectation and it comes very quickly.[LNB] That is why I have come here.[LNB]
