Steve Bruce has hopes for Cats' Riveros

Jun 19 2011 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

CRISTIAN RIVEROS can still be a slow-burning success at Sunderland, according to Steve Bruce.

The Paraguay World Cup star failed to make an impact in his first season in the Premier League, after joining the Black Cats on a Bosman free transfer last summer.

But Bruce points to another Latin American signing he made while at Wigan – Honduran defender Maynor Figueroa – as proof that some players can go on to succeed in England after a difficult start.

“I haven’t given up on him, not at all,” said Bruce. “We know he is a good player – we saw that at the World Cup when Paraguay got through to the quarter-finals.

“But I know from past experience that Latin American players take time to settle in when they move to England. He’s been here a year and hopefully he will have come to terms with the different style of football by the time the season starts.”

“I’ve always said that you have to give Latin American players time to settle in.