Lee Cattermole has leapt to the defence of manager Steve Bruce after the Sunderland boss savaged by Wigan chairman Dave Whelan for making some 'dodgy signings' during his time at the DW Stadium.

Whelan launched the astonishing attack on Bruce earlier this week following the Latics' 9-1 humiliation at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

ExtraFootie said at the time that criticism seemed a more than harsh when you consider the impact Wilson Palacios, who has since been sold to Spurs for £14million, Maynor Figueroa and Hugo Rodallega have made in the Premier League.

Indeed, question marks could be placed on the purchases made by current boss Roberto Martinez with Jason Scotland and Jordi Gomez both struggling to get to grips with the Premier League so far.

And Cattermole, who left Wigan to link up with Bruce at the Stadium of Light in a £6million deal during the summer, is also fully behind his boss and believes Whelan is just trying to direct attention away from Martinez.

"I like Dave Whelan. I think he's a good chairman - a footballing chairman," Cattermole is quoted as saying on skysports.com.

"But I don't understand where he is coming from with this.

"When you look at the guys Steve bought for Wigan, you just can't argue with his record - Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia - they were sold for big, big money.

"Not everyone's going to be a big hit but I can't understand Dave Whelan attacking the gaffer.

"I think he is just trying to take the heat off the new manager.

"You look at the signings the gaffer made at Wigan and, to be honest, I thought they were all good."