Steve Bruce: I'll do right thing by full-backs

Apr 1 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

STEVE Bruce has promised to look after forgotten full-backs George McCartney and Phil Bardsley.

McCartney has not played for Sunderland since February but Bruce argued the Ulsterman had been left out for his own good after personal problems. He also promised the Black Cats will "do the honourable and right thing" by Bardsley, whose long-term future is also in doubt after losing his place to on-loan Alan Hutton.

Bruce has never appeared completely won over by McCartney – at times this season preferring midfielder Kieran Richardson – but he was quick to quash any conspiracy theories about the defender’s recent absences.

"Nobody’s really asked me about George McCartney but he is injured, he’s got a hamstring problem and that’s legit," he commented. "He had personal problems before but he’s over that. He hurt his hamstring last Thursday and I would think he’d be another two weeks. George was having a tough time and sometimes you need to be taken out of the firing line for a bit to recharge the batteries and come again.

"He has got to accept that and do that, which I’m convinced he will. Hopefully."

Bruce’s equivocation made it

hardly the most convincing endorsement of a player, with McCartney seeing his spot go to Anton Ferdinand, a right-footed centre-back.