The Steve Bruce Merry Go-Round

Well what can I say on the day that Steve Bruce has left Latics to become the new manager of Sunderland? Despite the money available to him, I honestly think this is a sideways move for Bruce. Sunderland won’t be challenging for the top 4, they may not even challenge for the top 6. We’ve known it for a while but now it’s been confirmed – money talks in football.

Yes, Sunderland may get 40-odd thousand fans a week but they haven’t really finished miles ahead of Latics in the last few years. If Bruce had been better at motivating his players, then maybe we could have finished 7th last season. If Fulham can do it, with a chairman like Al Fayed (who makes Whelan look quiet) and a fan-base not-to dissimilar to Wigan, then surely we could? I think it sums Steve Bruce up when he leaves Wigan after 18 months for his seventh managerial appointment in 11 years.

I hope that Whelan has got something up his sleeve, I’m certain he has. He seemed to be quite happy to let Bruce go, which makes me think something wasn’t quite right behind the scenes with him. Maybe its Whelan’s new policy of selling players that pushed Bruce to the exit.

There are now rumours flying around that Bruce will make bids for some of the Wigan players. Bramble and Boyce are discussing new deals and this business could have put them off signing. Like I’ve said before, I don’t see why we should sell our best players to anyone but the BIG 4 or some top European club, not the likes of Spurs and indeed Sunderland. After all, Whelan wants us to get into Europe doesn’t he? Whatever crap he comes out with – we don’t need the money (yet) Dave, so stop paying crap players, such as Marlon King £40,000 a week and spend it on players who are actually good and don’t cause trouble with the law!

Latics legend, Roberto ‘Bob’ Martinex, currently in charge of Swansea, is wanted by Whelan to replace Bruce. He’s done a wonderful job at Swansea, gets them to play some great football and seems to have a lot of contacts in Spain. It would be a wonderful appointment and a very ironic one – Martinez was released by Steve Bruce, just before the manager left the first time to join Crystal Palace in 2001.

With Whelan angering the fans by letting Bruce go, selling players, keeping Maurice Lindsay on the payroll, naming a stand after a rugby player and talking crap to the media, the Martinex appointment will surely smooth those people down.

Whatever happens, let’s just hope he makes the right appointment and we stuff Sunderland next season!

Oh and in all seriousness – thanks for all your efforts Steve!