Steve Bruce is wary of becoming victim of giant-killers

Jan 2 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

The FA Cup once turned Steve Bruce into a Sunderland fan for 90 minutes, but today it could put him onto the critical list of football managers. Stuart Rayner reports.

HAVING seen it turn a family of Newcastle United supporters into Sunderland fans for the day, Steve Bruce knows all about the effect the FA Cup can have on people. But after a week in which two more managers were thrown on the scrap heap, he is fully aware of the damage it could do to his job prospects today.

Not since 1949 have Sunderland been knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league opposition, when they were beaten 2-1 at Yeovil Town in round four. But with no wins in their last seven games (incredibly, the only team they have beaten in their last 12 was Arsenal), the Black Cats must be considered vulnerable today against a Barrow team roared on by 8,000 fans who have already claimed one North East scalp – Gateshead’s – en route to round three.

One thing the Cumbrians should not have in their favour at the Stadium of Light, however, is opposition complacency – at least not from the dug-out.

Bruce is promising to play his strongest available side – although that is not saying much with nine senior players out injured or, in Michael Turner’s case, suspended. Just in case there was any danger of over-confidence against the Conference side, Bruce was handed a sharp reminder of his vulnerability when two more managerial colleagues were given P45s for Christmas.

A few weeks of poor form and some alleged disagreements over the club’s immediate direction were enough to wipe Alan Irvine’s successes in leading Preston North End to last season’s Championship play-offs from certain people’s memories. And having admitted at Manchester City a fortnight ago that he could be the next Premier League manager out of the door, Bruce saw Gary Megson beat him to it as fan power won out at Bolton Wanderers.

Bruce is fortunate to have a chairman who better understands that constant change in the manager’s office does nothing to improve a football team’s fortunes, but still realises his team’s dreadful form will make an FA Cup shock at the Stadium of Light harm his own prospects.

“Absolutely! It will be very damaging,” he concurs. “I haven’t got any thoughts of losing but if that does happen you’re up against it. I think all of us (managers) realise now that unless you’re Sir Alex (Ferguson) or Arsene Wenger we’re all six weeks away from it (the sack).

“I think I’m in a fortunate position here with the people I work for. However, if the crowd turn on you like they did with Gary, or Big Sam up here – they never really took to him for some reason, maybe the style of play – it can change.

“I just read in one of the newspapers there’s been 68 managerial changes and 54 sackings in a year. It’s quite unbelievable isn’t it? It borders on being nonsensical. It just proves you don’t get the time you need.”