I know the guy used to get a lot of stick on here, and sometimes rightly so. But i think he done a good job at our club, the signings that he made definatly took the club on to another level and raised expectations, which unfortunately for him, sparked his downfall. I dont think that tactically he was up to scatch to take our team on much further, but he brought some very very good players to this club, the type of players that us as sunderland fans hadnt seen for quite a while before his reign. Bent Gyan Welbeck Brown Sess Larsson Maclean (future) Wickham (future) Cattermole. He rarely paid over the odds for players, he just couldnt seem to keep them once they were here. The injuries he had to deal with last year were terribly unlucky too. Bruce eventually lost gyan,bent,hendo,welbeck.... the core of the team, and he just didnt look like he had it in him to put another fantastic team together again, he almost lost faith in himself. I dont believe he is a bad manager, you have to remember that with Oneil we have one of the best managers in the PL at the club at the moment, and has pulled a very average team out of the dumps, and tought the players to play to their strengths, along with installing a confident mannerism along with a winning mentality. I think steve is a good manager with a low budget, he cant seem to handle big profile players, but certainly has the ability to shop at Harrods, he just doesnt know what to do with the goods once he brought them. I wish Mr Bruce all the best, and wont forget his work. Its paramount that we keep oneil for aslong as possible, he could really get this club going places, its defiantly an exiting time at the stadium of light.
I always thought some of his signings were ok..for me though, the mans downfall was the fact that he was tactically inept
he was one of the best transfer managers out there i have said it before and will say it again there is not a player bruce signed who couldnt/cant be sold for more
This. However id say "ok" was an understatement, best transfer savy manager certainly in my lifetime, just very very tactically naive.
Bruce didn't sign Bent he was already on his way when Bruce was appointed, Quinn asked Bruce if it was okay to go on with the deal and Bruce agreed to it. You also fail to print his ****e signings which if not equal out number the good ones.
I supported Bruce until the end, but for me it is now a case of the king is gone, long live the king...
I'm with Charlie Hurley - he's a glorified scout. He signed well, but that's all I can say for him. Half the time, he wasted the players he signed - Kilgallon at Doncaster, Riveros (one of the better players in the World Cup quarter-finals) farmed out to Turkey, McClean on the bench at best, Vaughan and Gardner hardly getting a chance, etc. Tactically useless. He did have an injury problem, and was particularly unlucky with Angeleri who has hardly been fit since he came. But the last thing you do in that case is play your fit players out of position - that makes things worse than they already are. Bruce as scout - yes. As a manager - 21st out of the top 20. I hope never to see him in the SoL again, even to watch us.
I agree with cest (the real one not the OP!) Also agree completely that he can find a player but can he **** tell them how to play or motivate - ergo - he would be a great scout - why didn't we do what we did with Sbragia and stick him into scouting?? Oh yeah - cos everyone hated him by the end!
i said he had his downfalls, but brought good players to the club. I dont see how i can be labelled a 'cock' for saying that, but i think that shows the maturity levels of a couple posters.