Bruce in hunt for Zaki replacement

10 April 2009 08:15
Wigan boss Steve Bruce admits he is on the lookout for new strikers due to the disrespectful attitude of errant striker Amr Zaki.Bruce will finally sit down with the player on Friday to discuss why he failed to return from international duty as planned last week.Although sustaining a hamstring injury whilst playing for Egypt, the 26-year-old went AWOL and was uncontactable.That forced Bruce to condemn the player's unprofessionalism and attitude towards the club and his team-mates as it was the fifth time this season Zaki had failed to return on time.Bruce, though, has been left wondering whether he has been able to do enough for the player to help him settle after he joined Wigan on loan for the season from El Zamalek back in August."I feel as if I've failed to," remarked Bruce."I've clearly not been able to command his respect to ensure he comes back."I'd never demand anything of any of them that I wouldn't do myself, and I try to show them that respect."Unfortunately, on this occasion, it's not just his disrespect for me, but also his employers and team-mates. He's let them down."And if they all thought like him then we wouldn't be playing. As my dad used to say, 'The lunatics would be running the asylum'."It is hard to imagine Bruce will be taking up the option of making the current loan deal permanent, so naturally he is on the lookout for another striker."I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I wasn't looking for other players," added Bruce."But I never, ever wanted it to come this. I know he's had a tough time of late, not scoring from open play since a goal at Liverpool in November."Obviously, he must have things going on in his personal life that must be affecting him, so we have to get to the bottom of it."Unless Zaki has extraordinary reasons for his continual no-shows, there appears to be no way back."I find it very difficult to contemplate where his future is at the moment, bearing in mind how I feel on the situation," remarked a bitterly disappointed Bruce."We will be speaking with him and his advisors, and I hope to resolve the situation, but in my opinion what has happened is totally shocking."If you have an employee who does what he wants to do, of course you're going to be upset and disappointed."For me, it's been a ridiculous challenge, particularly when you consider it wasn't so long ago he was everybody's cup of tea and playing well."[LNB]

Source: Eurosport