Steve Bruce has denied falling out with Paul Scharner, despite the Wigan star's claim that his manager 'resents' him.The Austrian international was reported to have said he was "paying the price for making my national comeback", and believed he was "not getting on well with Steve Bruce at the moment".
But Bruce told the Wigan Observer: "I've seen Scharner's comments coming from somewhere, and I'll try and put that right. I've had no fall-out with him at all.
"He goes off an tangents sometimes as players do.
"But the fact it that he played against West Ham, struggled with an ankle injury, and (Emmerson) Boyce and (Titus) Bramble played out of their skins against Chelsea and Hull.
"There's been no fall-out at all. I tried with the previous manager to get him in that squad, because I wanted him to go and play in the European Championships. I tried my utmost to make that happen with Josef Hickersberger.
"I haven't fallen out with him because of it (the injury).
"It was simply the fact that the form of Bramble and Boyce was exceptional and I couldn't change the team. That's all it was.
"As far as a fall-out goes, no chance. My job is about the team and the club and to pick what I think will get us a result."
Scharner believes he angered his boss by playing twice for Austria in the space of four days last month on his way back from an ankle injury.
"I'm not getting on well with Steve," he said. "He seems to resent me."
