Steve Bruce: I won't walk out despite 'abuse'

Nov 27 2011 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

STEVE BRUCE will ignore the calls for his head and concentrate on turning Sunderland’s fortunes around.

Bruce came under fire from the stands as the Black Cats’ season went from bad to worse with an injury-time howler handing his old club Wigan victory at the Stadium of Light.

Chants of ‘Bruce out’ began with the score at 1-1 and when Franco Di Santo netted the winner, they changed to a chorus of ‘Get out of our club’ – complete with references to the manager’s Geordie heritage.

But defiant Bruce says he will stick it out.

”It borders on abuse, and when it gets like that it is disappointing,” he said.

”But I am a resilient so-and-so and I’ve taken stick all my life and come through it. I can’t help where I was born, I’ve got to live with that.

”But certainly, when you are up against it, you have to stick together and try and see it through and turn them [the fans] round if you possibly can.

”We can only do that by getting results.

“Unfortunately, at home anyway, we haven’t had enough victories to appease the public, which is your first priority as a manager.”

Asked directly if he had considered his position, he added: “No, not at all.

”I never give up anything, certainly not in football.

”It’s not my intention to walk away or quit, because that’s not in my nature.

”There’s something in me that makes me want to try and turn it round.

”As far as my future is concerned, that’s up to others.

”But I’ve got no intention of walking away.

”I still think we have a decent group of players who can turn things round, even though it is very very difficult at the moment and I know patience doesn’t last very long in football.”

Seb Larsson put Sunderland ahead in the eighth minute, but a highly debatable penalty awarded for a foul by the Swede on Victor Moses allowed Jordi Gomez to level from the spot on the stroke of half-time.

And then a horrendous mistake from Wes Brown led to Di Santo’s winner for the relegation-haunted Latics.

Bruce said: “I’m frustrated more than anything, because we’ve created enough chances again.

”But we haven’t taken them, and that’s become our Achilles heel.

”At this level, in this league, when you get six, seven or eight chances, the game should be put to bed.

”Then, what was a frustrating game turned into a horrible one with what happened in the last few minutes.

”Wes Brown has been our best player this season but he gave an awful goal away and it’s catapulted us into a horror show.

”As for the penalty, it wasn’t a penalty, but I don’t think now is the time to make excuses.

”I have to take responsibility. I have brought the majority of these players to the club and I still believe in them.”