Sunderland FC

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Ilunga's antics infuriate Bruce

01 Nov 2009 - 11:27:46

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West Ham United defender Herita Ilunga's antics infuriated Sunderland manager Steve Bruce during Saturday's 2-2 draw between the two teams.

Kenwyne Jones saw red at the Stadium of Light in first-half stoppage time for striking Ilunga, but Bruce thought the Hammers star made too much of the incident, as he fell to the ground clutching his face.

Bruce said: "Kenwyne was wrong, I can't defend him. He's pushed him. That's all it is.

"Then I see the play-acting and then the medical people running on with an ice pack on an eye injury as if he's got a cut eye and there's nothing there. It's all just a ploy.

"I think there was Big Sam's (Sam Allardyce) quote in the week that if we're not careful we're going to turn it into a game for pansies.

"The referee has got a decision to make but I have to say Ilunga's play-acting left a lot to be desired.

"Whoever it was with the ice swab, he pulled it away and I was looking for a big gash of an inch-and-a-half, I was looking to see if there was a bump. There wasn't even a bruise.

"The one thing that we don't want to see is what goes on around the world, all this diving nonsense. We want to see a spectacle and we got one, but let's not take away what everybody wants to see.

"They don't want to see this play-acting and trying to kid everybody.

"He pushed him in the chest. To go on like Ilunga's gone down, I would have been embarrassed.

"I would have smacked my kids' backsides if they had have done anything like that when they were playing football.