Bruce makes bids for Premiership players
Monday, 6 January 2003 09:45Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has admitted that he has made two bids for current Premiership players to bolster his injury-ravaged defence. Birmingham are currently missing all five of the club's recognised centre-halves and Bruce has been linked with Leeds' Michael Duberry and Arsenal's Matthew Upson. The Blues chief has already brought in Bordeaux striker Christophe Dugarry and Lens full-back Ferdinand Coly on loan until the end of the campaign but it is the centre of his defence that is giving him the most cause for concern.
He had to partner right-back Jeff Kenna and rookie Joey Hutchinson in Sunday's 3-1 FA Cup reversal by Fulham at Loftus Road and admitted afterwards that something needed to be done quick to rescue their season. "We have put in an offer for a couple of Premiership players and we are waiting for the respective clubs to get back and say whether they are going to sanction them or not," he explained.
"We are really hoping that we can do something because it is freakish what has happened to us in terms of all the injuries in the same area of the squad. Cunningham will be out for six weeks, Purse for another four weeks and Tebily for three months. We can't afford to have five centre-halves missing. It is a cause for concern," he added.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
