Source: Daily_Mail
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce shuns quit talk and vows to rebuild
ShareLimp finish: Steve Bruce has vowed to reproduce Sunderland's early season form through the year[LNB]Under-fire Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has banished any talk of quitting the Stadium of Light, and vowed to re-build his squad for a serious Premier League challenge next season.[LNB]Although he admits he will be glad to see the back of a 'gruelling' nine months in charge on Wearside, which has seen his team limp over the finishing line, Bruce insists Sunderland could have sustained their challenge in the top half with a fully fit squad.[LNB]Record signing Asamoah Gyan could return at West Ham on Sunday, but Bruce could still be without a full team of players for the season's finale.[LNB]Despite the four-month battle with injuries, and the prospect of losing the likes of Danny Welbeck and Nedum Onuoha to their parent clubs after Sunday, Bruce has vowed to return refreshed and ready for next season.[LNB] Bruce said: 'I need a break. It's been the toughest, hardest three months I have been involved in since starting out 30-odd years ago. It's been frustrating and disappointing.[LNB]'Even when we won at Bolton recently, we lost Ferdinand and Muntari. It's been one of those horror times. It's been gruelling and we have been trying to look for explanations, questioning medical people, doctors, surgeons, sports scientists, everything.[LNB]'I don't regret anything. It's a great club. I wanted the challenge of taking this club forward and getting in to the top ten is my aim. That will not be easy because there are eight clubs who are massive teams who have a head start on me.[LNB] Life after... Danny Welbeck one of several players who won't at the Stadium of Light next season[LNB]'We are Sunderland at the end of the day and two years ago we were in a relegation fight. When we have to rely on the people week in and week out, we are unfortunately not good enough.[LNB]'Could I have got more out of them? Possibly. Could we have got five or six points more? Possibly. Had we kept the players fit we would have had six points. I have to convince myself that because for six months we had a resilience and were difficult to beat.[LNB]'I'm not Houdini. In the Premier League, if you have not got your big players fit then you are snookered. I have found that.[LNB]'There is a big summer ahead for us. We have been trying to clear the decks for two years and bring in that bit of quality. We are much better now, but this year is a big year for us again now because I would never have thought we would need eight or nine come the summer.'[LNB] Rejuvenated Bardsley urges Sunderland to keep faith with manager BruceNorthern Exposure: Who will finish as top dogs in the North East?All the latest Sunderland news, features and opinionSunderland turn to freebies Larsson and Vaughan after Gameiro snub[LNB] Explore more:People: Steve Bruce, Danny Welbeck
