Consistency is key to Sunderland success - Bruce

Oct 17 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

There is something in the air on Wearside right now, but Steve Bruce has warned his team they will only get a sniff of success if they can turn their Old Trafford heroics into consistent form. Stuart Rayner reports.

YOU can smell hot dogs in the air, smell the big-game big atmosphere. Liverpool are coming to town so hopefully we will perform.”

With a first Stadium of Light sell-out this season on the cards, the first half of Steve Bruce’s wish will be granted today. The second will be more difficult.

Today is the first opportunity for Sunderland’s manager to sample the atmosphere which brought him to Wearside.

More importantly, it will provide a litmus test as to whether the Black Cats really are ready to step up to the fabled “next level”.

Not since 1991 have the Wearsiders beaten a team from the now well-established “big four”, but they came mighty close two weeks ago. At Old Trafford, the Black Cats were an injury-time Anton Ferdinand own goal from defeating Manchester United.

The beauty of the Premier League is every team in the division is capable of moments such as these.

Yet season after season United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have had their own private game of musical chairs to decide the top four places. The difference between them and the chasing pack? Consistency.

Bruce knows he will get it from the stands, the question is, can he cajole it from his players? You can tell by his words he is excited to find out.

He said: “You can just detect there is excitement around the place and that is shown by the size of the crowd.

“It should be a terrific atmosphere. I hope we can perform in front of them. That is the big test, because in the past there have been big expectations at this club and, I am not being disrespectful, but it has not lived up to it.

“In the past occasions like this have fizzled into a damp squib. I have been asked before about Everton and Tottenham, and to get there we need a level of performance and level of club which enables you to cope in front of 50,000 fans – and a team able to cope with Sunderland and the expectation.

“In the past we have not had the calibre of player to handle the expectations of this club. Hopefully we are starting, but we are only starting.”