Were looking good for new season, says Titus Bramble

Aug 7 2011 by Mark Douglas, Sunday Sun

DESPITE a return to depressingly familiar territory this summer, Titus Bramble is certain it will be all right on the night for Sunderland.

Bramble’s pre-season has hardly mirrored his impressive first season in red and white – with a red card and a penalty at Burnley last weekend betraying rustiness after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The worry is Sunderland’s fantastic run of form in the autumn was based on their defensive record, and they need Bramble firing on all cylinders to snatch back that solidity.

The big defender insists there is no need to worry – just yet, anyway.

“Pre-season is about ironing those things out,” he told the Sunday Sun.

“If mistakes are made when the season starts then I will hold my hand up but we are getting used to a new system, new players and it is all about fitness and building on that.

Still strapping on a knee brace in between games, Bramble clearly has a bit of work to do to recover the sharpness he had before the injury that wrecked his season.

However, he insisted: “It is the best it has been for a while.

“I wanted to come back at the end of last season but the surgeon said if I did play there would be a risk of further injuries.”

Slight concerns over Bramble and defensive partner-in-crime Michael Turner have been rare dark spots on a pre-season otherwise bristling with positivity.