Last Updated: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:59
Former Wigan star Lee Cattermole has defended ex-Latics boss Steve Bruce after he was blamed by Dave Whelan for Sunday's 9-1 defeat.
The Wigan chairman has laid the blame for the weekend's nine goal mauling by Tottenham squarely at the door of Bruce, who he has accused of leaving Roberto Martinez in the lurch with a few "dodgy signings" before he left for Sunderland this summer.
"Steve actually had a few dodgy signings just before he left Wigan and he (Martinez) has inherited those dodgy signings, so I can't blame Roberto one iota," said Whelan.
However Cattermole, who also followed Bruce to the Stadium of Light in the summer, says he can't understand Whelan's attack on his manager and believes he is only doing it to deflect the attention away from current Wigan boss Martinez.
"I like Dave Whelan. I think he's a good chairman - a footballing chairman," Cattermole told the Sunderland Echo.
"But I don't understand where he is coming from with this.
"When you look at the guys Steve bought for Wigan, you just can't argue with his record - Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia - they were sold for big, big money.
"Not everyone's going to be a big hit but I can't understand Dave Whelan attacking the gaffer.
"I think he is just trying to take the heat off the new manager.
"You look at the signings the gaffer made at Wigan and, to be honest, I thought they were all good."