HAVING made the long trek to Fratton Park for Sunderland’s depressing exit out of the FA Cup at the hands of a struggling Porthsmouth, I left the old ground at a low ebb.

However, with all this knee-jerk reaction from certain quarters I feel some people need to take a reality check. There was even some idiot on a local phone-in saying we were in a worse state than in the dark days when that walking disaster Lawrie McMenemy was making a pigs ear of managing the club. What planet does he live on?

No doubt manager Steve Bruce has made mistakes but so too has the likes of Fergie, Ancelotti, Wenger and Benitez.

Bruce needs time to stamp his influence on the club.

Against Chelsea only three of the starting line up were signed by Bruce and v Pompey five were his buys.

I thought Andy Reid should have started at Fratton Park and Goodison but football is all about opinions. People are comparing us with recentlypromoted Birmingham and saying how well the Brummies are doing. While Birmingham have done brilliantly, they have achieved this largely with the same starting line up.

Bruce was saying that SAFC had its 13th different back four against Everton on Wednesday. These disruptive changes have been out of his control. That’s where the problem lies, we need to get a settled team. Once this happens hopefully things will pick up.

Some of these so called ‘fans’ that are demanding Bruce’s head on these phoneins are part of this Sky generation who expect instant success. Or just simply know very little about football. Where would Man United and Arsenal be now if they had gone down this road with Ferguson and Wenger?!

Everton was another huge disappointment. The never ending the injury jinx striking once again with Lee Cattermole and Kieran Richardson having premature ends to their evenings. The next three games, against Stoke Wigan and Portsmouth, are the most important of the season for Sunderland. Let’s hope we get the breaks and are then able to end this depressing relegation talk.

Sunderland fans should back Bruce to finish the job he started and remember to be careful what we wish for.

A hasty change in management is not always the answer.

Tony Ratton, Sunderland