Whelan: Only big four can lure Bruce

26 March 2009 08:00
Chairman Dave Whelan is confident he can hang on to boss Steve Bruce and believes only one of the big four could lure him away from Wigan.Bruce has worked wonders with the Latics since taking over from Chris Hutchings in late November 2007 with the club second bottom of the table and in real danger of relegation.He steered them to the safety of 14th last season and they currently sit seventh with eight matches remaining of this campaign and in with a chance of qualifying for Europe.That has been achieved on a relatively small budget and has underlined Bruce's credentials as one of the best British managers in the top flight.He has often been linked with more high-profile clubs and, as a Geordie, his name is mentioned every time there is a vacancy at Newcastle - despite the fact he has distanced himself on a number of occasions.Whelan is delighted with the work Bruce has done and wants him to continue improving the club in the next couple of years."He is very happy here because he has a great relationship with me," said the chairman."We work very well together and that is a big thing in football and in life."He loves being at Wigan and he has a great squad around him and great people to help him."If a club came in for him it would have to be one of the big four before Steve would even consider looking at it."I'm sure he will go to one of the big four in the end but hopefully not for the next two or three years."Whelan said his decision to bring in Bruce after Hutchings' failure had proved to be the right one, even if it cost £3million to release him from his contract with Birmingham."When you lose a manager like Paul Jewell he is not easy to replace and although Chris Hutchings is a fantastic coach as a manager he didn't have what it takes here to do it," admitted Whelan on his initial decision to promote from within at the end of the 2006-07 season."Chris may have been unlucky with two or three injuries and football is sometimes swayed by luck."However, I had to make the change and when Steve applied for the job - which he did because he was unhappy with what was happening at Birmingham - I had to pay Birmingham something in the order of £3million to get him here."I think, as he has proved, that was money very well spent."Whelan announced on Wednesday that from next season the Latics' home would be renamed the DW Stadium.The Wigan chairman's new venture - DW Sports Fitness.com - has bought the nationwide chain of fitness clubs from his former company JJB Sports and has also taken over the naming rights for the stadium.Wigan also announced a freeze on season ticket prices for next season - their fifth in the Premier League - with the cheapest adult package costing just £250.[LNB]

Source: Eurosport