After only four games of the new season, rumours are already flying around and odds are being slashed on who will be the first Premier League manager to get the sack this season. Sunderland have not made an auspicious start to the season, and Steve Bruce has quickly become the favourite in the annual Premier League sack race. Should Sunderland fans cut him a little more slack, or has he had enough time to get things right at the club?
Sunderland’s results over the back end of last season and the beginning of the new campaign have left many starting to question Bruce’s role as manager of the club. An appalling run of defeats over the last half of last season saw them slip from challenging to European qualification to finishing 10th. Unfortunately, their slump has continued into the new season, and they have taken just two points from their opening four games – although in fairness they have played Chelsea and Liverpool – and exited the Carling Cup at the hands of Brighton.
Many would argue that Bruce has had time to make the side his own and put his own stamp on the Sunderland team. He has spent a lot of money and been given a lot of leeway and funds by Niall Quinn and Ellis Short, so both owners and fans are right to demand the goods on the field. Currently the side looks bereft of quality, flair and organisation, and if these problems continue then Sunderland fans will be right to call for Bruce’s head. At this stage of the season, though, questions over his future seem premature.
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In some ways Bruce is a victim of his own success at the club; after their previous league results of 13th and 10th place finishes, expectations at the club have changed. Bruce has brought stability to the club, and the fact that Mackems fans were even talking about European qualification shows how far the club has come under him. They are now an ambitious side with high hopes, but perhaps these expectations are being set a little too high.
Bruce is currently rebuilding the side, and deserves more time because of what he has achieved over the last two seasons at the club. He has brought in a lot of players over the summer, and is trying to mould an exciting squad for the future with players like Connor Wickham and Ji Dong-Won. It will take time for the new players at the club to gel, and it simply won’t happen over night.
Sunderland have made steady progress under Bruce, signing high quality players, yet there still seems to be little patience or time for him. It would be a shock if Ellis Short were to cut his losses and sack Bruce, especially after putting up the money for his array of summer signings. Of course Short is inpatient for results, and wants an immediate upturn in fortunes, but Bruce has probably earned the right to a little more time. The club are building for the future, and have great potential in the squad. It was a risk to bring in so many new faces over the summer, but their fortunes will improve if everyone gets behind the manager and cuts him a little slack.
Do you think Steve Bruce deserves more time at Sunderland? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below or following me on Twitter @LaurenRutter for more comment and debate.
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