Wigan manager Roberto Martinez 'surprised' at Sunderland's sacking of Steve Bruce

The Spaniard’s side’s 2-1 victory at the Stadium of Light on Saturday was the catalyst for the 50-year-old’s departure, with the 38-year-old believing the Black Cats’ needed time

1 Dec 2011 15:13:00

By Nathan Lowe

More On :  Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, Steve Bruce, Tiko
EPL - Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers, Roberto Martinez
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Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has admitted that he was surprised by Steve Bruce's sacking at Sunderland on Wednesday.

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Bruce's last game in charge at the Stadium of Light was against the Lactics on Saturday, with the Black Cats surrendering a first-half lead to lose 2-1 thanks to Franco Di Santo's stoppage-time winner.

The former Manchester United centre-back has been the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season, and Martinez can only empathise with the former Birmingham boss.

"That was a little bit of a surprise," he told Sky Sports News. "It's been a big turnaround in the summer.

"It's been a lot of players coming into that dressing room. You don't really know what's happening in other football clubs, but you feel that time is needed when you bring a lot of players into the football club just for the players to settle in, to feel themselves and how they can perform at their best. That always takes time.

"When there is a change in management, in any football club, it's because you're in the middle of a wrong dynamic of results. It's never for one result," the Spaniard continued. "That would never happen.

"You need to ask the people who make those decisions. They've got their ideas and their own targets and that goes over a period of time. I've never seen a change of management due to one result.

"In football, unfortunately, nothing surprises you anymore. Stability and patience are two words that are needed in a football club."

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