Steve Bruce stands by Herita Ilunga comments

Nov 6 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

STEVE Bruce is adamant he had every right to criticise the conduct of West Ham’s Herita Ilunga for his part in Kenwyne Jones’s sending-off last weekend.

Bruce earned the wrath of Hammers’ assistant manager Steve Clarke this week after he accused Ilunga of play-acting in order to ensure Jones was shown a red card. That prompted Clarke to counter that Bruce should not be talking about opposition players, while also attacking what he saw as the persistent fouling of Black Cats skipper Lorik Cana during the game and arguing Ilunga was nothing more than “an innocent victim. Maybe I am not supposed to talk about other people’s players,” said Bruce, with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“I will take that on board, that’s for sure, but I am still not going to change my thoughts that the boy rolled around and play-acted and the rest of it.

“I take his point I should not comment on his players, but it affected my player because he got my player sent off. I think I was in my right to voice my opinion on it.

“I said from the offset that Kenwyne was silly in what he did. I can’t defend what he did, we all know the rules, we all get carried away with it, but I have got to say I believe the actions of the player got my player sent off, no matter what Steve Clarke says and does.

“I said at the time Kenwyne deserved to get sent off by pushing someone, but the way Ilunga reacted I am not going to change my mind about that.

“If anyone disagrees I ask them to look at it again. I take his point I should not talk about his players, but I am sure he would agree he rather over-reacted.”

Bruce was a little surprised by the force of former Newcastle coach Clarke’s comments earlier this week and, privately, annoyed by what was said.