I wouldn't be able to stop Manchester United getting Steve Bruce, says Wigan chairman Dave Whelan

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Steve Bruce has already had one message marked 'personal' from Old Trafford this season, and Wigan owner Dave Whelan fears another could soon be winging its way to the JJB Stadium.

Wigan manager Bruce was basking in the afterglow of a shock last-minute equaliser at Chelsea last month when an email arrived from Sir Alex Ferguson, saying: 'Well done — what a great point for you.'

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A knowing chuckle acknowledges that the last word should perhaps have read 'us'. But Bruce needs no reminding the mood could suddenly turn darker should Wigan somehow spoil the script by taking a Barclays Premier League point off Manchester United for the first time and deny them the title.

Whelan, though, feels it would do nothing to alter the wider picture, with United going on to exact revenge over Chelsea in the Champions League Final and an invitation landing on Bruce's desk soon after.

But should United become Double champions there is a growing sense that Ferguson would view this as the ideal exit strategy, a perfect opportunity to retreat into a less demanding role and leave the way clear for a new team boss.

Whelan believes that a second European Cup would suffice and that there are few boxes left for Bruce to tick in his quest to return to Old Trafford as manager.

Bruce has pocketed a £1million bonus for rescuing Wigan from relegation but Whelan can see far greater riches ahead for the former United centre-back.

'I thought Sir Alex was going to retire three years ago but then he came here and I saw the twinkle was back in his eye,' he said. 'That told me he wanted another European title and if he wins it this time, as I hope he does, he may decide he's had enough.

'When it comes to a new manager, United have the pick of the world but there is always a danger top clubs will come calling for Steve.

'If they decided on him or Mark Hughes you'd have no chance of standing in their way. I wouldn't even contemplate doing so if United came in for Steve. I'd be as delighted for him as I'd be sorry for us.

'I'll tell you the job he's done here. When he joined us in November, I honestly thought we would slide out of the Premier League. I feared the worst, so he's earned his bonus. It was an awesome task but he got the players believing in themselves. That's how we managed to take points off Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool for the first time.

'With Paul Jewell, I always felt the size of the challenge at Anfield or Old Trafford got to him a bit and he picked a team to keep the scoreline down.

'He gave them too much respect whereas Steve doesn't have any respect for the big guns. He respects them as clubs but sees them as potential scalps when he faces them. That's why we went to Aston Villa last weekend and won. Brilliant, really.

'Sir Alex is football's great maestro, a complete one-off. He opened our ground a few years ago and we do get on. I don't think anyone is really close to him but what Steve and I both have with him is a relationship of respect.

'We got a nice “Thank you very much” email from him when we drew at Stamford Bridge and I think that result could have cost Chelsea the title.

'It isn't over yet, though. Talk of us rolling over now we're safe is absolute rubbish. If we can repeat the Villa performance United will have a hell of a fight on their hands.'

Whelan admitted United are one of three clubs interested in Wilson Palacios and Antonio Valencia and addressed the threat of losing them with typical candour.

'It really is difficult when a club like United are circling,' he said. 'Sir Alex doesn't mess about. He just comes and bangs on your door and says, “I'd like to buy that player and we'll give you so much”.

'If he does that for Valencia or Palacios, how am I going to stop them? I think they'd be better off continuing their development here for another season or so but I couldn't sleep at night if I simply blocked it. Mind you, they won't come cheap.'

 

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