Bruce Working Hard To Turn It Around

Manager Steve Bruce has covered a number of different topics in his pre Norwich City press conference earlier today.

Having already given a team news update, Bruce was speaking to the Official Site as he met with the media earlier this morning, and he remained determined to get things right after our poor start.

‘There`s another game now. It`s up to me to rally around the players and get started again. We`re only three games in. We must remember that. It hasn`t gone as well as anyone would have liked. However, what are we going to do about it? There`s another 43 matches to play – 10 months of football ahead. Let`s forget about what`s happened in the week and try to be positive and look to get a result at the weekend. We`ve had a bad start. We have to put it right. It`s quite simple.

Bruce went on to say about Reading.

‘I didn`t think we deserved to get beaten at Reading. We had an awful second half at Cardiff, yes. We could easily have beaten Hull. So we could have been sitting here with a win, draw and defeat. But it hasn`t happened that way. However, it`s been three games and all the nonsense is ridiculous really. We have to put things right by getting some results. We`re looking for a better week than we have has this past week.’

With chances going begging in all games so far that could’ve at least papered over the cracks, he admitted we need to find a finishing touch and quickly.

‘If I showed you training today, the ball would whistle into the goal. It`s easy on a training ground. The most difficult part of football when it matters is scoring a goal. That`s why strikers cost the most money. That`s why we invest in them heavily. It`s because they have a knack of doing it. Our achilles heel since I`ve been here – and it`s not just the strikers – is our ability to score a goal. We have created enough chances in all the games really to win a match – and we can`t score. That`s the huge disappointment. With the chances we have created our conversion rate is poor – and that has to improve. Of course, at the moment, we are without the main man Jonathan Kodjia, who scored the most goals for us. We must keep trying, keep persevering and keep practicing and hopefully when the chances come on Saturday we take them.’

Turning attentions to transfers, Bruce admitted he was still working on a few things.

‘There are one or two things bubbling away. We`d like to do something, especially in the attacking half of the pitch because we are without Jonathan Kodjia and obviously Scott Hogan went off the other night. We are looking at that sort of area and we will see what develops over the next few days.’

As for direct links in the press, he said of Southampton’s Sam Gallagher.

‘I think every club in the Championship has been linked with him because we do believe he is now available from Southampton. It is something we are looking at along with 11 other clubs. It`s something that interests us, yes.’

Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere.

‘I don`t know where that one came from. But if he wants to come and play here he`s more than welcome.’

And Newcastle United’s Jack Colback.

‘I don`t know what they came from either. I worked with Jack as a boy. There`s no truth in that either.’

Going to this weekend’s game and Norwich itself.

‘We had them watched obviously. They have new manager, new players, new coaches – a different sort of style. But they are a good team. They have a sprinkling of some very good players. Norwich are very decent and we will have to be at our best to beat them.’

Having had a bad week, Bruce was now hoping a win would kick start a good week for us.

‘(A win) It changes everything. We have seen what a bad week brings. We have games on Saturday, Tuesday and Friday. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will have that sparkle that back which a few results will do.’

He ended with a message for the fans.

‘The one thing over the years which has been steadfast has been the support. They support through thick and thin and to be honest they have had some thin times over the last few years. I am expecting them as always to get behind the team. But it`s important we give them something to shout about. We have to see the team play with a spirit and passion that they`re all about. They are desperate for their club to do well again.’