No one is automatic choice - Bruce
Sep 14 2009 By Steve Bruce, The Journal
STEVE Bruce has warned none of his players can consider themselves automatic choices as he tries to ensure confidence does not turn into arrogance at Sunderland.
The Black Cats have won three out of their five Premier League games under Bruce and are already looking a far stronger side than they did last season.
But Bruce wants to keep everyone on their toes, even though he acknowledged his squad is far smaller than when he arrived at the Stadium of Light in May.
He explained: "The big thing for me is that the squad was a bit top heavy. For being able to get 15 to leave the club and bring in seven, the important thing was to bring in the quality.
"When you’re able to bring on people like (John) Mensah and (Paulo) Da Silva, the captains of Ghana and Paraguay, that shows what we’ve got.
"And that we’re able to leave Kenwyne on the bench, which hasn’t always been the case here. If he’s not physically right, then there’s a threat to his place.
"Fraizer (Campbell) is a good player. He’s only 20-years old and he’ll only do one thing and that’s improve. People can’t and won’t think they’ve got an automatic place. In today’s modern game, especially with the internationals and all the rest of it, it’s all about a squad.
"And I think the squad has improved, maybe not in numbers, but certainly in terms of the personnel, which is very, very good.
At times against Hull it was nip and tuck. In the end we ran out comfortable, but the one thing I’ve learned in football – I’ve been in it for a few years in the Premier League – if you think you’ve cracked it you’re going to get your backsides kicked next week. We won’t get carried away."
And Bruce remains concerned by his team’s propensity to concede goals from set-pieces. He added: "We’ve tried all sorts. We’ve put two on the posts, man for man, but it is an Achilles heel so we will have to come up with something.
"Against Hull, it was just a lack of concentration from Lorik Cana. It was his man. He lost him when he went underneath the ball and that little lack of concentration has cost us."
