Bruce Blasts Wenger Critics

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has labelled the criticism aimed at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as “ridiculous”.

Bruce, who faces up to Wenger at the Emirates on Sunday, has illustrated what the French coach has achieved in his 15-year tenure with the Gunners and empathised with the beleaguered boss after coming under-fire himself in recent weeks.

Whichever manager loses in the crucial clash at the Emirates is likely to field more questions about their respective job, but the Black Cats boss insisted that people have forgotten what Wenger has done for English football. Bruce said:

“We are all open to criticism because of the job we are doing, but Arsene Wenger and what he has achieved, to criticise him is, for me, ridiculous.

“He has had a poor start for the first time in 20 years, is it? Certainly, he has qualified for UEFA (Cup) or the Champions League in the last 14 or 15 and produced great teams.

“As I have said many times when we have played Arsenal, I think he has been to the detriment of the young British manager because clubs have looked at the job Arsene Wenger has done.”

Bruce acknowledged that clubs would love to have to have a Wenger figure at their club, but admitted that such managers are hard to find.

“Let’s be fair, it was one of those when he walked in, (people said) ‘Arsene who?’.

“But certainly, most clubs have then thought, ‘Let’s go and get the new Arsene Wenger’, and there are not many of those around. He’s a terrific manager.

“It gives us all hope, I have to say, if we have got the audacity to question Arsene Wenger. What he has achieved there, it’s quite remarkable.”