• Premier League

Bruce sacking wrong - Wenger

ESPNsoccernet staff
December 2, 2011
Steve Bruce was sacked by Sunderland earlier this week © Getty Images
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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Sunderland were wrong to sack Steve Bruce on Wednesday, insisting that "change does not always sort out problems".

Wearsiders owner Ellis Short wielded the axe after a disappointing run of results, which came to a head with the home defeat to Bruce's former club Wigan last Saturday.

Sunderland are tipped to name Martin O'Neill as their new manager before the end of the week, but Wenger - who has been in the Gunners hotseat for 15 years - thinks Bruce was not to blame for the recent struggles at the Stadium of Light and should have been afforded more time to turn things around.

"I think it is a mistake because the one to question at Sunderland is certainly not Steve Bruce," Wenger told Arsenal's official website. "He has competence, the desire to win and he is the last one I would question on that. Unfortunately he went through a bad run and paid the price. I'm pretty sure that he should not have done.

"Change does not always sort out problems. History shows that it is not successful. It is statistically proven that a change of manager is not always successful.

"A club that creates its own instability is always in trouble - it is linked with technical stability, change of players, financially being in the red. All that together is linked with a change of manager.''

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