Bruce: 'Men against boys'

ByReuters

Published 22/03/2006 at 08:14 GMT

Birmingham City were humiliated and damaged by their 7-0 home drubbing by Liverpool in their FA Cup quarter-final on Tuesday, manager Steve Bruce said. "It's damaged us, let's hope not beyond repair," said Bruce, whose side are also fighting for Premiersh

FOOTBALL liverpool v b'ham

Image credit: Reuters

"You just have to try and take it on the chin, realise you've been humiliated in front of the nation, in front of your own supporters and go again tomorrow morning if you can.

"You feel shell-shocked and disappointed...I don't think we had touched the ball and we were already 2-0 down. We gave ourselves a mountain the climb," he told Sky Sports after Liverpool went two up in the opening five minutes.

"In the end it was men against boys," said Bruce after City's worst FA Cup defeat since the club, founded in 1875 and twice runners-up, were called Small Heath Alliance and lost a tie 6-0 125 years ago.

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"We were just chasing the game and trying to do something about it. Liverpool picked us off at will...They were a far, far superior team on the night," said Bruce, who won the FA Cup twice as a player for Manchester United in the 1990s.

'DAMAGED EGOS'

At halftime he said he told his players: "Try and win the second half, if you can, show a bit of pride in your performance, pride for your supporters.

"Unfortunately, we gave away some terrible goals," added Bruce, who has been at Birmingham since December 2001 and steered them to promotion to the Premiership in 2002 but is now staring at likely relegation.

"We have some damaged egos and some damaged players in there, that's for sure," said Bruce, adding with sarcasm that "we've got two easy games coming up, Man United and Chelsea. We simply have to go again...it's a big test for us all."

It was six-times winners Liverpool's biggest away win in the world's oldest competition and equal second biggest at any ground after their 8-0 home victory over Swansea in January 1990. They have scored 15 goals in their last three games.

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