Cattermole was sent off after only 21 minutes in his team’s 1-1 draw away to Wigan Athletic at the weekend, just weeks after being sent off in Sunderland’s opening game of the season against Birmingham City – also in the first half.
Bruce was furious with his skipper for accruing two yellow cards in the space of 20 minutes against Wigan and has now admitted that he will reconsider Cattermole’s position as captain.
“I made a big decision in the summer to give him the captaincy and I’ll review it in the next week or so,” said Bruce after Sunderland’s 1-1 draw.
“The responsibility may be too much. I’ll have that conversation with him and think about it.’
The former Middlesbrough player only lasted 43 minutes in Sunderland’s first game before receiving his marching orders for a reckless challenge on Lee Bowyer, his second booking of that game.
Bruce has now changed his tune having claimed referees “victimised” Cattermole after his red card against Birmingham, and is weighing up whether the responsibility of the Black Cats’ captaincy is simply too much for Cattermole.
“Lee needs to learn,” commented Bruce. “That is twice he’s been sent off in the first half this season. The way he is going he’ll see half his career wasted with suspensions.”
He will miss Sunderland’s games against Arsenal and the Carling Cup tie against West Ham United.
