While Steve Bruce occasionally comes across as exhibiting the serene, phlegmatic characteristics befitting a Good Football Man, do not mistake this as anything but a cerebral front. Bruce is a lover of melodrama, judging by his career as a novelist. Bruce is essentially a Coronation Street scriptwriter trapped in the body of a Good Football Man.
Today, we learned of Bruce's latest commitment to melodrama, via the Mirror's report on his falling out with Ross McCormack. A more understated manager - your Roberto Mancinis, your Brian Cloughs - would be content to restrict "bust-ups" to the training ground. Not Bruce.
Earlier this week, striker McCormack - a £12 million signing from Fulham - phoned Bruce to say he wouldn't make it to training, as the electric gates guarding his house wouldn't open.
Bruce told him to hop the fence and get a taxi to training, but McCormack refused, saying that he would wait to fix the gates. Bruce was in no mood to pander to his incarcerated striker, so pulled his address, and showed up to McCormack's house. Bruce then took a photo of the 4ft wall McCormack refused to jump to get to training, and told him to get his arse in gear.
Bruce spoke about the incident after Villa's 2-2 draw with Preston earlier today, a game for which McCormack was omitted.
In my opinion, he’s not fit enough to play unless his attitude and record of missing training improves.
If he keeps missing training like he does – then that will be the situation.
He has just not turned up. The latest excuse was that his gates had stuck but he couldn’t jump over a fence that was four feet six inches high.
There has been too much indiscipline at this club for way too long.
Not in 20 years of management have I gone down this road of publicly shaming a player but I have to make a stand because I won’t put up with it. Not on my watch.
Well in Steve Bruce. The kind of gate-side judgment Saint Peter built a church upon.
In other Steve Bruce related news, here is a photo of him in full training kit in a kebab shop.
[Mirror]
