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London - Sunderland manager Steve Bruce criticised the conduct of defender Titus Bramble on Friday following the player's arrest on allegations of sexual assault and possession of drugs.
While not commenting on the allegations against Bramble, Bruce did not hide his dismay that the player had been out at a nightclub barely 24 hours after the Black Cats had crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Norwich.
"Certainly in Titus' case - as you know there is a police investigation, but I don't think he should be in that position anyway," Bruce said.
"I don't think on a Tuesday night, you should be in a nightclub - I don't think any footballer should be in a nightclub on a Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, not with a game on a Saturday, especially after the way you have just been beaten on the Monday night.
"In my day, the vast majority of people I played with would have put their head down, gone into the bunker and said, 'Well, I am going to go and train hard and put it right on Saturday'.
"But that's where, unfortunately, they let themselves down."
Bruce, whose side face West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, said he feared footballers were becoming increasingly detached from their working-class roots.
"Usually, most of them will remember the roots from which they are born and bred and have that respect for where they come from and the people who are still there," Bruce said.
"Unfortunately now with the rewards they get, they alienate themselves and should show more responsibility."
