Bruce slams Cats speculation

Although the Black Cats opened the new season by claiming a point at Liverpool, they failed to win in their first four Premier League games while being knocked out of the Carling Cup by Brighton. That led to question marks in the North-East press over Bruce's position but after seeing his side beat Stoke 4-0 on Saturday, the Black Cats boss feels the speculation was premature. "Anybody who's managed at this level will know that it engulfs you very, very quickly, and here in the north east it does engulf you quicker than anywhere," Bruce told Sky Sports News. "The two years previously we've done OK, nothing spectacular. We finished 10th, which was the club's third-highest finish in 55 years. "Then within two weeks (of the new season), all of a sudden you've lost the plot - that's the way it happens. I thought it was unfair but then again, I would say that. "The most important for me is to get over it and learn from it, about how quickly things do change up here. But certainly, it's not going to derail me in my thoughts of exactly what we're trying to achieve." Bruce has been backed by the board in rebuilding the squad over the last two years but he has also been forced to sell his top players, with Darren Bent making a big-money move to Aston Villa in January while Jordan Henderson was reluctantly sold to Liverpool in the summer. Anton Ferdinand then moved to QPR on transfer deadline day before record signing Asamoah Gyan left Sunderland in the lurch by agreeing a lucrative loan deal to Al-Ain after the deadline. Ahmed Elmohamady secured a permanent move to the Stadium of Light after being on loan last season and was one of only two starters against Stoke that were also in the starting line-up for the final game of last season. But Bruce is pleased with how the new boys are settling in and believes the team is now heading in the right direction ahead of Monday night's trip to Norwich. "We've made a huge amount of changes, which is far too many really, but we had no real choice," he added. "We had five loan players last year and we've only secured one of them. Bolo Zenden and Steed Malbranque then left, and Jordan Henderson goes to Liverpool. "We're now looking to replace eight or nine players which, all at once, is very difficult indeed. But we've managed to do it and I'm delighted with what we've done. "The lads need time now to settle into their new environment, settle into the club, and results like the one we got on Saturday will certainly help."