please log in to view this image IF Steve Bruce was a broken man back on May 24, the fateful afternoon of Hull City's relegation from the Premier League, the summer weeks appear to have pieced him back together again. Bruce is sounding like his old self again as he oversees the opening days of City's pre-season training camp in Portugal this week. No longer crestfallen and deflated, he seems bullish and optimistic over what comes next. "It took me weeks and weeks to get over the way last season ended but I'm usually at my best when I'm totally disappointed," said Bruce, from the club's base close to Portimao. "I've got to try and pick everyone up and go forward again. I never give up. "We've got to get the doom and gloom out of the place. From everybody concerned, from the top of the club to the supporters, we've got to build a team we all know can mount a challenge. We've got to enjoy it again." It is safe to assume Bruce could not during the final weeks of last season. Despite back-to-back wins over Crystal Palace and Liverpool in late April opening up an escape route from the drop, just one point collected from the last four games of the season ended all hopes of survival. Bruce was quick to accept responsibility for City's failings after a 0-0 draw with Manchester United on the final weekend brought the dreaded confirmation of the drop but that brings with it a determination to put things right in 2015-16. Another club could have shown Bruce the door by now and for that he is grateful. "Make no mistake, the players are all devastated that we won't be starting a new season in the Premier League, we all are," he explained. "It's my job, as the leader of them, to stand in front of them and say we've got to do all we can to get back up there. "If you've anything about you, you want to play or manage in the Premier League. Supporters want to see their team there and we all want to get back. We've got to make sure we've got a clear mind to go forward. "We've got to be ready for the challenge because the Championship is a very difficult league. A lot of big clubs have found it difficult so we know what lies ahead." The mission has begun in familiar surroundings. The secluded Penina Hotel and Golf Resort, 70km west of Faro airport, has been a temporary home for City in three of the last four pre-seasons and was where Bruce first met his players when taking over as Tigers please log in to view this image boss in July 2012. City will remain on the Algarve until the back end of next week when returning home to face North Ferriby United but the personnel currently at Bruce's disposal underlines the austerity that comes with relegation. Eight senior professionals have left the KC Stadium since falling into the Championship to leave a squad of just 20 training in Portugal. Six of those were Bruce's decision when releasing popular names such as Liam Rosenior and Paul McShane, but last week's unwelcome departures of Stephen Quinn and Tom Ince were a cause for concern. Bruce wanted neither player to leave. Quinn could not turn down a three-year deal at Reading and left on a free, while Derby exploited a £5m release clause to sign Ince in a club record deal. "I was disappointed to see Quinny and Tom leave," admitted Bruce. "I wanted them to stay but that's football and we have to move on. "When you get relegated you know there's going to be changes that you don't want to happen. That's inevitable, you're going to lose players. "Unfortunately we've lost a couple of good ones in Quinny and Tom. In an ideal world they'd still be with us but sadly that's not the case. They had good offers to go elsewhere." Bruce was particularly exasperated by Ince's exit and made his feelings clear in a national newspaper at the weekend. "I stand by what I said," he added. "I would have done everything I could to keep him. He's one of those bright, up and coming players, who can score a goal from a wide area. "It was difficult for him here last year but he's proven himself in the Championship. I wouldn't have sold him to a rival, simple as that. Those are my thoughts but that's football." Now comes the challenge of finding much-needed replacements. Although further departures cannot be ruled out ahead of Huddersfield's visit to the KC on August 8, the onus is on Bruce to recruit players that can help City clamber back out of the second tier. Warning shots fired at Norwich over their pursuit of Robbie Brady were a timely reminder. No new faces have arrived as yet but they will. Bruce is certain of that. "I'm as relentless as I've ever been," he said. "I'll do everything I can to get us a squad together that will mount a challenge to get us back in the Premier League. "I wouldn't be doing my job, fighting like I am, if I didn't think that was possible. "There's nothing really close. I'm not going to kid people. There's one or two things bubbling away that could materialise and let's hope they do. "We're working as hard as we can to bring new players in. We know that we need a few players in to bolster the squad. "As we stand now, we've still got the four strikers we finished last season with, we've still got four or five very good centre-backs, Robertson and Brady up the left, Elmo and Chezzy on the right. "We've still got the nucleus of a very decent squad and I'm confident that I'll be able to add to that." http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Stev...tory-26864319-detail/story.html#ixzz3fPM17TKh
Im honestly not expecting too much or getting my hopes up Id guess we will finish mid table, poss a decent cup run As long as we dont go down again, i think weve got to give Steve time to totally rebuild the squad from scratch
I am pleased he has reaffirmed the newspaper comments, about the regard he held Tom Ince in and what a stupid mistake it was to not just lose him, but lose him to a rival. Lessons learnt, I hope, as new contracts are about to be written.
"As we stand now, we've still got the four strikers we finished last season with" And maybe till transfer deadline day
Can't say that story makes me feel good. He couldn't keep the players he wanted so they obviously felt better off elsewhere. Lessons learnt too late aren't much use. The fact that it took him weeks to get over it obviously held us back while others were busy. And on this forum people are just sliding back into the usual 'we shouldn't expect much anyway' position.
Contract extension, pay rise, favourites for promotion and already proven to fit well into the squad well, why wouldn't he want to leave?
I really like Brucey and its sad to see the squad fall apart all around him. He seems powerless to stop it happening and I really don't think he's got it in him to turn it round. It's a real shame, I just hope he doesn't sully his legacy here too much.
Geeze, I'm standing by what I said when we went down. He has until Christmas. He can't be given a complete free reign of this club. From 12 months ago this has been a huge fall from grace, and if we don't go back up this year then guys like Chester, Brady, Elmo and others will likely leave. 12 months from now if we are still a Championship club there is only one direction this club will be going in and it won't be back to the PL.
I was devastated from Trencin onwards last season, how come it took the players another 9 months!!!!!
'If' we can hang on to what we've got apart from N'Doye and Hernandez, and add another couple of decent strikers, Wilson being one hopefully, I agree, we'll do more than ok if we get off to a good start
We have some of the best individuals in the league, but I still don't expect us to finish any higher than 8th. Our midfield is in tatters and we'll most likely need a new strike force. Our starting XI will not be the strongest in the league come the opening day of the season in my opinion, it'll be average at best. I think Derby, Brentford, Bristol, Burnley and Boro all look in a better position. With Cardiff, Ipswich, QPR, Wolves, Reading and the like all on par.
We've got one fit midfielder, one right sided player and no strikers who aren't expected to leave or utter ****e. I don't know much about other Championship squads but ours as it stands is poor.
