LATICS V CHELSEA
Sunday 24^th August '08 - Kick off 1.30pm
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Steve Bruce today questioned as to why there's a need for a friendly international after just one game of the new season.

Bruce, who is preparing his side for the visit of Chelsea this Sunday, has had his squad together for the first time today, since the opening day game at West Ham.

"The extra day gives us a chance," says Steve.

"It gives us a chance to get everybody back, but I don't really know what there is to gain from an international friendly at this stage, I know there is an income to be generated, but are we generally interested?It doesn't look to me as if the players are interested."

"And us managers have to wait until 10am on Friday morning to see if our players are coming back fit, which is not ideal preparation for facing one of the biggest clubs in the world."

Bruce did say however, that he believes that all his players have reported back for duty healthy.

"We had people analysing all the games to make sure that people would be coming back ok.I was watching the England game myself and saw Emile take a knock and we believe he's ok.

"We've have a player in Sudan and two in Honduras and people say you know that when you sign these players, but we can't all have British based players we've got to spread the net wide to get these players in."

Looking to Sunday and Chelsea, Bruce knows the enormity of the task ahead.

"You look and analyse the squad, and you know they'll have a fantastic array of talent in the team and obviously Deco's come into the equation this year and the right back (Jose Bosingwa) which will obviously improve them again."

"Make no mistake their squad is still as strong as anybody's and still as good as anybody's."

Last season under Steve Bruce, Latics managed to take their first ever points off the top four sides, including the famous point at Stamford Bridge when Emile Heskey's last minute goal, shocked the Londoners and one could argue, cost them the title.The manager remains confident and fearless ahead of Sunday's game saying that, as a player, these are the games you long for.

"When you play against Chelsea or any of the top four, these are the games whether you're a coach, a player or a manager, or a supporter, you want to see your team play in these games.

"This is what the Premier League is all about.This is why we're desperate to stay in this league every year."

Bruce seems to be very happy with the squad he has now after a busy summer and hopes the transfer window comes to an end quietly.

"I'm delighted with what we've done during the summer.

"The main thing for me was keeping hold of some our key players that we can build the team around, people like Kirkland, Palacios, Scharner and Valencia.

"It was important to make sure that we kept hold of them, now there's only ten days to go till the transfer window closes, so I hope it's all quiet on the Western front and anticipate it to be like that for us."