Bruce named as new Sunderland manager

Sunderland have confirmed Steve Bruce has been appointed as the club’s new manager. The 48-year-old has signed a three-year contract to succeeed Ricky Sbragia, who stood down at the end of last season. A statement on Wigan’s official website read: “A compensation fee has been agreed between the two clubs, freeing Bruce to move to the Stadium of Light.

Wigan are set to receive a compensation fee approaching £3m for Bruce, having paid £3m themselves to secure the manager from Birmingham in 2007.

Steve Bruce

The 48-year old has signed a three-year contract with the Black Cats, until 2012. Bruce has established a reputation for producing well organised teams and for unearthing and nurturing terrific talent, something he has done exceptionally well at Wigan Athletic. In the season just ended he steered the Latics to a highly creditable 11th place finish. A brief earlier spell at Wigan in 2001 separated stints as manager of Huddersfield Town and Crystal Palace before a six-year tenure with Birmingham City.
After completing the deal to bring Bruce to Sunderland, Chairman Niall Quinn expressed his delight: “Steve will bring a professionalism and strength of character to this club that will really help to bring us forward to where we all want to be.

“It’s the perfect time,” he said. “I’ve worked over 10 years for a chance like this. It’s up to me to put a team on the pitch now. I can’t wait to start. I just want to continue the progression of the club over the last few years. An average of 42,500 shows what kind of support we have. The aim is to take the progression forward, we don’t want to be flirting with relegation. To get up to 10th where Wigan were would be a huge improvement.”

Quinn, who became club chairman in July 2006, added: “Steve will bring a professionalism and strength of character to this club that will really help to bring us forward to where we all want to be. “Steve knows more than anyone what football means to people of this region, and I’m confident that he will be able to instil into our players exactly what it means to play for this football club.”Bruce will be assisted by his backroom team of Eric Black, Nigel Spink and former Sunderland striker Keith Bertschin. With a few weeks to work with all his new players before transfer deadline, Bruce said: “I’m going to give them all a chance. “Whatever happened in the past, I’m not interested in. I’m proud to sit here as Sunderland manager and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

The appointment of former Manchester United defender Bruce is the first significant change at Sunderland since American businessman Ellis Short took total control of the club at the end of the season.