STEVE Bruce insists he remains the right man to turn Sunderland's fortunes around despite continued speculation that his job is at risk.

Following a week of major boardroom upheaval at the Stadium of Light, a number of yesterday's newspapers suggested Bruce's position as Sunderland boss is numbered.

One report even suggested owner Ellis Short had sounded out Martin O'Neill about replacing Bruce, a claim that has been strenuously denied by senior Wearside sources.

Nothing has changed in relation to Bruce's position over the weekend, other than the fact that the Sunderland boss is now in the South Korean capital, Seoul, leading a group of senior club officials that also features former chairman Niall Quinn.

Bruce is due to meet a number of potential sponsors later this morning, as well as heading a delegation that will attend a formal function at the British Embassy in Seoul.

His involvement at the heart of the club's international development programme hardly suggests his departure is imminent.

Nevertheless, there is a general acceptance that results need to improve markedly, with Sunderland having won just one of their opening eight matches this season.

That record could get worse before it gets better, with Sunderland due to travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal on Sunday, but Bruce remains confident he is capable of steadying the ship and securing another top-half position.

"I hope that people still have faith in me," said the Sunderland boss. "I know people will be questioning me, of course they are. But I'm a determined, resilient, horrible so-and-so and I'll try my utmost to turn it around.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I'm not going to put up the white flag now. I knew what it would be like and the challenge is still the same for me - can we get a team together that mount a sustained challenge in the top ten?"

Moving forward, Bruce's task at least got a little bit easier at the weekend when Stephane Sessegnon's Benin side failed to qualify for next year's African Cup of Nations.

Benin played their final qualifying game against Rwanda yesterday, but Libya's goalless draw in Zambia on Saturday meant the West African nation were unable to qualify as one of the two best-placed runners-up no matter what they did in Cotonou.

As a result, Sessegnon will not be competing in the three-week Africa Cup of Nations tournament to be staged in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next January and February.

The news is a major boost to the Black Cats, who had feared being without the attacker for up to four Premier League matches.

Sunderland already knew they would not be losing Ahmed Elmohamady following a dreadful qualifying campaign that saw reigning champions Egypt finish bottom of a group that also featured Niger, South Africa and Sierra Leone.