Blip was always going to arrive

Jan 3 2010 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

Bruce took over in June and owner Ellis Short immediately made £30m available for him to sign seven players over the summer, with the likes of Darren Bent, Lee Cattermole, Lorik Cana, Fraizer Campbell, Michael Turner, Paulo Da Silva and John Mensah arriving on Wearside.

But, while they were all fit for the first nine games, injuries and suspensions have since hit Sunderland hard.

Bruce still wants to bring in half-a-dozen new faces to further strengthen his squad, but admits he may have to wait until the summer to get the players he has targeted.

Bruce said: “I brought in six players in the summer and I think we’ve made progress.

“I need to go out and bring in five or six more, but I don’t think that January is necessarily the best time to do that.

“I am confident enough in the people who employ me to know they can see that. The owner deserves a big pat on the back because he has funded the club hugely over the last 18 months, helping me to strengthen the squad in the summer and, before that, helping Roy Keane to do the same.

“Ellis Short has spent some serious money and he deserves some plaudits, too.”