Summer clearout

Steve Bruce planning Sunderland clear-out
by Luke Edwards, The Journal
Apr 16 2011



SULLEY Muntari could become the highest profile victim of Sunderland’s excruciating slump in form as Steve Bruce is ready to completely change his summer transfer plans.

Bruce had initially thought he would only have to make minor improvements to his first-team squad in the summer as the Black Cats hovered on the fringes of the European places at the start of February.

But a run of seven defeats in eight games and a crippling injury crisis has persuaded Bruce a more drastic overhaul is needed to ensure the Wearsiders do not suffer a repeat next term.

Muntari’s poor form has all but ended Sunderland’s interest in turning the Ghana international’s loan move from Inter Milan into a permanent deal, while John Mensah’s inconsistency and continued physical frailty mean a third season on loan from Lyon looks unlikely.

Bruce will move for long-term target Charles N’Zogbia as soon as the season ends, but he fears he will have to sign two new strikers because of another serious knee injury to Fraizer Campbell which could rule him out for up to a year.

With continuing doubts about Sunderland’s ability to bring Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck back to the North East, either permanently or on another season’s loan, Bruce knows the goalposts have shifted dramatically in terms of what he needs to do recruitment-wise.


“Certainly we will have to look in the summer and have a revamp,” said Bruce, who predicted he will put out the youngest side in Sunderland’s Premier League history at Birmingham today.

“Certainly if Fraizer Campbell does need surgery, we will have just one striker and will have to do a major revamp. A major rebuilding job is required again. Five six months ago, I was looking to just cherry pick.

“I’m confident I will get the support from above. Hey, listen, you cannot keep asking the owner to keep piling millions and millions in, but I think he is a clever enough man to realise we have been unfortunate, really unfortunate.

“We spent a bit of money on Fraizer Campbell and he could be out for another year, which seems to happen to us. We also have five loan players and we have to address that for a start.

“We have not got the firepower in depth to cover when we have lost seven or eight players and we have lost seven or eight now for months.

“It is not just a thing that has happened in the last week, we have had long-term injuries to Craig Gordon, Titus Bramble, John Mensah, now Sulley Muntari and of course, Campbell, Michael Turner and Lee Cattermole is in there as well, Welbeck too.” One of Bruce’s biggest regrets is his inability to get Bramble and Turner playing together, as he feels they were the rock upon which the team’s excellent start to the season was built.

He said: “We have lost that cutting edge up front. At the start of the season we had Darren Bent, Asamoah Gyan, Fraizer Campbell and Danny Welbeck and I don’t think Sunderland have had a better group of four than that.

“We could nick a goal even when we were not playing well and of course with Titus Bramble and Michael Turner at the back, we were rock solid.

“To start with Turner and Bramble, they have played just eight times together, which was in my mind, my number one partnership. They played eight times, we won three, drew four, lost one. They have not played together since.” To make matters worse, there are long-term worries about Bramble because of a knee cartilage problem, despite the defender’s previous assertion he will play again this season.

Bruce said: “It is worrying news about Bramble. His knee is a big concern. Titus is a bit bandy and is putting all the strain on the outside cartilage which is where all the damage is. It has effectively been wearing away at the cartilage, creating a bone-on-bone situation which is particularly nasty. He is having an injection into his knee. Let us hope that does the trick.


Bramble added: “I’ve just been told that I’m unlikely to play again this season. I don’t need an operation, so that’s a bonus. I will work hard and make sure I’m right for the start of next season.”

 

All for continuity re: brucie, however, not sure if ellis will back him as substantially as previous transfer windows.
Cannot blame all injuries on matches so the training regime needs to be seriously looked at.
If we dont hit the top 10 think SB will be gone.

 

I agree totally with Bruce, if we had a fully fit or anywhere near fully fit squad for the majority of the season, I am very sure we would be riding high at the moment.
We all keep saying this, but next season is going to be a big season for us, we need to stop loaning too many players and buy some quality, I still believe Bruce is the man to take us forward.

 

now he's adressing the problems... maybe to late to save him, hope not though,

he's cottoned on about muntari, that;s a start,
mensah going, good too,
realising about the loan players, good,

firepower, well he should have known that long ago, we need a major overhaul there, i'm still mot convinced by gyan.
downside was n'zog, i really hope we don't buy him.

either way stay or go, it's gonna be an interesting summer in the transfer market.

 

Again.......

 

After being going to Sunderland for 45 years i should be used to this.
I have always said a manager needs 3-5 years to build a team with the first year being the most difficult, SO HOW come after two seasons it looks as though we are going to have to build a team again in the summer. Muntari Elmo Wellbeck Mensah not our players. Angleri Riveros not Premiership quality.
Elliss Quinn and Bruce need to set out a plan for the future and if Bruce cannot deliver then he must go.
I still believe we have the quality to stay up.
We need to spend and spend big. My ambitions for this year was to finish 10th to 14th which is still easily achievable and next year top 10 easy.
So why are we so negative when two wins can turn us around.
We need a big centre half Samba fits the bill for me
A goal scoring midfielder
A proven premiership goal scorer.
Lets hope we can enjoy our easter break.
Yes i have high expectations of our club to compete if not the top 6 definately with Everton Villa Bolton we have an average gate of 40,000 nearly twice as much as the clubs mentioned

 

If Bruce starts bringing in more players on loan I WILL slap him personally.

You cannot build long-term team spirit if a third of the people in your squad aren't even signed to your club. It just doesn't work.

 

This.

I would like to think that players are professional enough to give it their all at a loan club, but sadly in some cases it just doesn't happen, does it Muntari?

 

Must say mate i enjoy reading your ditties, you sir are one of the balanced mags, i take my cap off to you, and wouldn't mind at all if more of your kind had the same mentality

 

I was reading a report earlier, i think the link was from Billofengland, about Bruce at Wigan whilst he was there they were 7th then after Xmas they went on a terrible run just like us, moral of the story is it has happened before with him the proof is out there

 

Moyes nearly took Everton down in his first two seasons, now look at Everton. The proof is out there.

 

As Chappaz mentioned.

You cannot build any long term stability around players on loan so if Bruce has an idea of who he wants to bring in then they have to be signed permanently.

As a whole; Sunderland have a good squad that should be battling around the top 10 but injuries, player sales and a lack of fight from the incumbent players is costing you.

I do actually question if Short will back him in the summer and see him being out of a job in the summer with the transfer funding available to a new manager to get in a full pre-season and try to get the squad to gel.

Amsterdam roger is also correct that Bruce does historically struggle in the second half of seasons. It was shown before at Wigan as well as Sunderland in the last two years.

Mainly for that reason; I question Shorts further commitment to Bruce.

You'll not go down this season but you should be higher up the league table and safe by now.

 

Another well balanced mag, how you doing mate hope all is well with you, and i congratulate your teams performance against Man U. i was as jealous as ****, in fact green with envy, anyway pleased you can see the writing on the wall, however some on here still cant.

 

Not bad.

A few minutes to beer o clock and then 12 days off.

Beer o clock has arrived

Have a great long weekend all!

 

Nice of you to be complimentary about the Newcastle result, didn't u lot draw 0-0 at home to them too. Also think you'll beat Wigan which for me will see you guys safe.

 

You to mate

 

If we sign Zog i will beso happy i will streak on the pitch on the first home game of the season if its against QPR

( I am trying to get myself out of steaking by making it against a specific team)

 

IF we stay up we all agree we have to spend a fortune to progress, wether its on the loanees or on new players. The loan scenario has been exposed. My question is, do you trust Bruce to get it right this time? I reckon we need to spend £40m to kick on. Does ANYONE want to give that sort of money to Steve Bruce? I would give it to O'Niell. Bruce said himself he is used to small feed. I am worried now if he is the way forward for SAFC.

 

Hope its not cold for you, wouldn't want you to be embaressed on match of the day, unless your hung like a donkey, in which case ill tell all the lady's here that all Sunderland lads are that size

 

Should have picked someone like Leeds or Millwall, as they are less likely to be in the PL.