vindicated?

ERIC BLACK felt Sunderland’s first victory of the season helped vindicate the approach the club has taken in preceding five matches.


But he also admitted that bold decision-making by manager Steve Bruce – who dropped skipper Lee Cattermole and Jack Colback from his midfield to accommodate David Vaughan and Craig Gardner – was pivotal in the Black Cats’ 4-0 success against Stoke.

He said: “As a management team, we have to look at the quality of performances and I think we’ve played quite well in some games this season, so it hasn’t been all doom and gloom from our point of view – we just haven’t got the results we’ve wanted.

“There was never any pressure from us internally.“The players have trained the same way as they have done from day one.

“That’s what you have to stay focused on – leaving all the external stuff to others – we’ve just felt that we’ve needed a little bit of a break, something going our way and we got that on the day.

“It’s not always easy to bring in 10 new players and just fit them into an existing structure, it takes a bit of time.

“We’re not offering excuses because there’s plenty of other teams who are in the same boat as us. But I think the Stoke game showed the quality of players the manager has brought in because that was there for everyone to see.

“He didn’t leave the captain out lightly. Jack Colback was also a big call because he’s performed exceptionally well, but that’s why he’s the manager. He’s paid to make these calls and I think, against Stoke, he got them right.”

Black argued that, on another day, the Newcastle derby last month could have been another Stoke.

“I thought our first half against Newcastle – no-one would have argued if we’d been two or three up at half-time – was good (like against Stoke). It didn’t work out that way unfortunately,” he said.

“We are in a results business and victories are all that matter – especially against your closest rivals – but we have to try to step back a bit.

“I know it hurts to get beaten in a derby and it hurts the manager more than anyone, I can assure you.

“But it wasn’t a bad performance and what you have to do is keep doing what you believe is right and hope it works out for you.”

Black was pleased for Bruce, who has been through the mill since the derby.

“Under the circumstances, the manager has had to put up over the last few weeks, especially with him being from this area. I think he’ll be a happy man over the next few days.” he said.

“It hurts him.

“People think he’s this big robust character, but it hurts him.

“He’s a winner and always has been and it hurts him when it doesn’t go the way he wants it.

“Sometimes the criticism is unfair because he works hard and he puts decent teams together, but, such is life – that’s the pressure on a manager in the Premier League.”


Pick the bits out of that!

Like the part about no pressure internally.........

 

I think it vindicates his detractors more. We have been calling for a plan b for months and eventually Bruce relented.

We won.

1 bright light amongst the darkness of the past 9 months doesn't mean all is well. We have to build on this now and show real progress.

That said, It was a far better performance and a cracking result so I am heartened by yesterdays game. Roll on Norwich.

 

I wouldnt call it plan B necessarily.

The formation and the game plan remained the same, he just used different players to do it. Dropping Cattermole was the big one for me, and I hope Vaughn keeps him out of the team for now.

As a BiB, I never said Bruce was perfect and I have been saying for a while that Cattermole, while good defensively, just isnt intelligent enough when passing the ball. Bruce likes something about the lad (probably his heart on sleeve attitude), but I think he realised that it isnt enough especially with the players who were waiting in the wings for a chance (Vaughn and, eventually, Meyler).

Us BiBs (well at least me) dont view Bruce as a managerial god, we just think that he could take us into the top 8 and challenging for Europe if given the time (and players) needed to do so. Now that we only have one loanee, our next transfer windows should be at lot less active in terms of number of players coming in so we should not be needing as much time for the team to bed in. I think that next season will be the defining one for Bruce, provided SAFC manage to get the players they want to replace Gyan and Bent + a left sided player.

 

I think you take out what you want to take out. Cest sees it that we won so that would suggest Bruce lost and was forced to change his views. I think its a very fair report and dont see winners and losers, just my club turning a corner.

 

With you on this one syd just glad we managed a win and a lift out of the bottom 3.

 

I don't think one game is going to vindicate anyone after the time we've had. But at least it got us out of the bottom three, and many of the personal performances gave us something to look forward to.

 

Yep, and I wasnt disagreeing with Cest about Bruce changing the team around (he did). I just wouldnt go as far as calling it a plan B - a new game plan would have been plan B imo.

Anyway, I think any fan, be it a BiB or a BoB would have been pleased with the result and will be looking forward to the Norwich game to see if we can make it 2 wins in a row (though a point away wont be end of the world).