Fraizer Campbell: Steve Bruce is a great manager

Nov 7 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

FRAIZER Campbell has hailed the “inspirational” Steve Bruce as the best man-manager in the Premier League.

But the Sunderland striker admits there is one place Bruce isn’t weaving his magic at the Stadium of Light – when he joins in with the rest of the squad during Friday morning training sessions.

After the fractures and frisson of last season the Sunderland dressing room is harmonious again, with even fringe men like Campbell who have had to wait their turn happy to be part of Bruce’s Black Cats revolution.

A large part of that is down to his way with the players – taking an interest in their lives and coaxing better performances out of them by playing the good cop more often than the bad cop.

Unlike previous manager Roy Keane, the current Sunderland boss has got to know his players and is not afraid to show his human side to the squad.

That even extends to taking part in practice matches on a Friday – although Campbell is withering about his attempts to replicate Denis Law in a target man role.

In a revealing insight into the mood in the Black Cats dressing room, the young striker has hailed the positive influence of a manager who first expressed an interest in signing him almost two years ago.

“The manager is just Mr Nice Guy, he comes in and he talks to everyone, has a laugh with everyone and he is really interested in what you’re doing,” Campbell said.

“We had a day off the other day and I was heading home and he said ‘make sure you don’t go round to all those bingo halls in Huddersfield because I know that’s all that’s there’. He spent time down there so reckons he knows the place.

“It is nice to feel he knows you, it might just be one thing, but it’s nice he feels that way about his players.”