STEVE Bruce is ready to come out fighting when he leads Hull City to Sunderland today, insisting he will not shirk the pressures of a Premier League survival fight.
The Tigers travel to the Stadium of Light this afternoon in desperate need of a result after seeing their season derailed by a demoralising run of 10 games without a victory.
A 1-0 defeat to Swansea last time out heightened a growing sense of frustration around the KC Stadium and in turn placed a huge emphasis on the double-header with Sunderland today and Leicester on Sunday.
City's alarming loss of form has made for an uneasy Christmas but Bruce remains confident he can bring the good times back with a timely reaction.
He said: "I don't enjoy seeing my team at the bottom of the league but I relish the challenge of turning it round. Bring it on.
"This is what it's all about at the top level. In October I was nominated for Manager of the Month and then it's been a horrible run through November and into December.
"We never wanted to be bottom of the pile. We always wanted to be in the top half of our little league.
"That's not quite happened but I'm still convinced we can turn it around.
"I'm not frightened of it. We've had a great two and a half years but an awful eight weeks.
"This game tests you. It tests you to the limit. It's what you're in it for.
"Management is easy when things are going your way. At the moment, for whatever reason, it's not.
"However, I'm determined to turn this around. You have to stay strong and stay positive. We've got some good players here with the desire to get us out of trouble."
City's current dip represents the first challenge of its kind for Bruce during his two and a half years in charge.
After winning promotion out of the Championship during his first season with the club, he eclipsed that achievement by securing Premier League survival and reaching a first FA Cup final a year later.
Bruce has no intention of seeing that good work go to waste and will call on his vast experience to ride out the storm.
"Management in general wears you down," he said. "You take on the supporters, the board and the team so a lot rides on your shoulders.
"Make no mistake, I don't want to be in a position where the club goes backwards and get relegated. I've never had that thought once.
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure we stay in this division.
"We've got to make sure we hang on in there."
A win today could be enough to lift City out of the bottom three ahead of welcoming bottom club Leicester on Sunday but Bruce says the current standing of 19th is not playing on minds.
"Everyone looks at the table, of course. But if I want to be negative I can shrivel up and walk away from the challenge," he added.
"That's not in my nature. I say 'Come on, let's have a go.'
"When you're getting towards halfway and especially in the last couple of months, we haven't been good enough.
"We have to do something about it and all you can do is roll your sleeves up and do something about it. Show what you're about and your ability will always be there. You've got to convince yourself and that's what Premier League players are all about; keeping that belief."
