Sunderland sack Steve Bruce as manager




Page last updated at 18:40 GMT, Wednesday, 30 November 2011

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Steve Bruce Bruce's final game in charge was a 2-1 home defeat by Wigan

Sunderland have sacked boss Steve Bruce following a torrid run of results.

Bruce becomes the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season after two wins in the first 13 games.

"It is my job to act in the best interests of our football club and I can assure everyone that this is not a decision that I have taken lightly," chairman Ellis Short said.

"Sadly results this season have simply not been good enough and I feel the time is right to make a change."
Bruce's Sunderland record
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Played: 98
Won: 29
Drawn: 28
Lost: 41

Assistant manager Eric Black will take charge of first team duties as the club searches for a new manager.

Bruce joined the Black Cats from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2009 and led the club to a 10th place finish in the Premier League last season.

However, the Stadium of Light side were sixth at the end of January after opening the year with three wins and one draw.

They then sold striker Darren Bent to Aston Villa in a deal which could rise to £24m and results took a turn for the worse.

The team struggled to score goals and matters were compounded when £13m signing Asamoah Gyan left the club in September - Bruce claiming "parasites" turned Gyan's head after his goal in the 1-1 draw with England at Wembley in March.

The Black Cats have slumped to within two points of the relegation zone this season, and Short acted quickly to stop the rot.
BRUCE'S BIGGEST SUNDERLAND SIGNINGS
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Asamoah Gyan (Rennes) £13m
Darren Bent (Tottenham) £10m
Connor Wickham (Ipswich) £8.1m
Craig Gardner (Birmingham) £6m
Stephane Sessegnon (PSG) £6m
Lee Cattermole (Wigan) £6m

"Steve has acted with honesty and integrity throughout, which is testament to the character and commitment he has shown during his time at Sunderland," Short added.

"I would like to personally place on record my thanks to him for his significant contribution to our football club over the past two and a half years and everyone here at Sunderland naturally wishes him the very best for the future.

"I would also like to thank our fans, who have endured a trying start to the season. Their support continues to be the driving force behind our club and is vital as we now look to the future."

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips believes the players should take some of the blame for Bruce's dismissal.

"At the end of the day the players need to look at themselves," he said. "Steve has brought in a lot of players for a lot of money and they haven't responded for him.

"The fans have got frustrated and taken that out on Steve and ultimately it is the manager who always pays the price."

Bruce started his managerial career at Sheffield United in 1998 before spells with Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic (twice), Crystal Palace and Birmingham City.

Bookmakers have installed former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill as the early favourite to replace the ex-Manchester United defender, with Mark Hughes, Rafa Benitez and Guus Hiddink also figuring prominently in the betting.

Not surprised, although I thought Kean would have gone first.

Sunderland didn't have the spark this season so far. They have some great players and with the right leadership they can climb the table quickly.

Rafa? Now you are having a laugh !!!

There's not enough money to spend for Rafa. Hughes might fancy it. What about Strachan? Or has he had enough of the North East?

Still think they could've stuck with him. Just look at who he's lost up front from last season. Welbeck and Gyan. It'll take more than one transfer window to replace them

Time for the Brolleyman to take the reins.

DOH!... just one more day and it would have been the first time since I think 1992 that no managers had been fired in the Premier League from the beginning of the season through November.

Wow, didn't realise that WG! Pretty impressive if it'da been done. Quite surprised though that this came before Kean tbh, but was nearly sure to happen sooner rather than later tbh.

Good call, WG. Reckon this'll spark a 'domino effect', with Kean going, probably Martinez too and then AVB before Christmas and the January transfer window.

What about Allardyce moving from West Ham to Sunderland?

Difficult to think of any notable ex-Sunderland players who have gone into management and may fancy their chances now. All the players I could think of, have either made it somewhere else, before or after they were at Sunderland.

I think AVB is really in trouble...

Martin O'Neill 'agrees' to become Sunderland boss



Martin O'Neill has agreed to succeed Steve Bruce as Sunderland manager, BBC Sport understands.

However O'Neill, whose last managerial job was with Aston Villa, will not take charge of the team for Sunday's away match against Wolverhampton.

Sunderland have confirmed Bruce's former assistant manager Eric Black will oversee that game.

The Black cats say they will be making a statement in "due course" on their new manager.

O'Neill has been regularly tipped for vacant posts at high-profile teams in the last 12 months and was the bookmakers' favourite.

I must say, I'm pleased O'Neill's back.

My dream would be to have O'Neill, Holloway, Strachan and Warnock all managing in the Premiership at the same time. Match of the Day would be virtually unmissable then


Didn't realise he was a Sunderland fan though. Reckon he'll get till March 2013 before the fans start booing him