Steed Malbranque to start but Bruce has warning
Mar 9 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal
STEED Malbranque will return to Sunderland’s starting line-up against Bolton Wanderers tonight after he was dropped and fined two weeks’ wages for breaking a club curfew.
Malbranque did not even make the bench for the 0-0 draw with the Cottagers following a showdown with Bruce after the French winger was spotted in a nightclub on the Thursday night before the game.
That, coupled with some lacklustre performances from the former Fulham and Tottenham star, who has been unable to sustain an impressive start to the campaign, led to a furious response from Bruce, who was incensed by the player’s attitude and the lack of respect shown towards his team-mates.
Malbranque, though, has since apologised and been assured he remains a key figure this season, particularly given the Black Cats’ lack of midfield creativity in the absence of Andy Reid, Jordan Henderson and Kieran Richardson.
Bruce refused to confirm his row with Malbranque was due to his presence in a nightclub, but he did admit the player had been severely disciplined.
He said: “He knows what has happened and he has been punished. He has taken his punishment. The matter is now closed. It remains confidential. As with all these things we try to keep them in house, even if they do have a habit of getting leaked to the Press.
“It has been dealt with and he is in the squad. What has happened has been dealt with internally and we have moved on. It is finished.
“We need players like him to stand up and be counted in the situation we are in. He has had a lot of experience and he should be able to handle it with his talent.
“He can still be a very important player for us this season and I have told him that. I’m not going to single him out for criticism in public – you should know me better than that.”
Whether Malbranque will remain an important player beyond the end of the season is more doubtful.
Although a potent wide man on his day, those days have been few and far between as Sunderland have slid perilously close to the dreaded drop zone.
