3 days ago
4 ARTICLE AD
Steve Bruce has admitted he did not get on 'very well' with Dwight Gayle at Newcastle.
The pair have become embroiled in a public spat in recent days after the striker hit out at his former manager.
4
4
Gayle made 45 appearances under Bruce at St. James' Park, scoring five goals.
However, he played just 20 minutes in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season before Bruce was sacked by the Magpies.
Speaking to the Open Goal podcast, the forward explained: "He was okay. I felt that he didn't perhaps spend enough time on working on a lot of things with us.
"I think he was trying to go game by game, rather than perhaps developing us as a team. I just feel like we could've improved with a lot of things."
However, Bruce has now addressed the comments after being asked how he got on with Gayle.
The Blackpool boss told Breakfast: "Obviously not very well.
"Yeah, I was, listen, how I got regurgitated again when Newcastle have had their best week in 70-odd years is typical of my time probably in the North East, you know.
"I was surprised and disappointed with some of the comments that Dwight made because half of it was, well, exaggerated to say the least and the other half was just lies basically, which I found very, very difficult to understand."
Bruce spent over two years in charge of Newcastle between 2019 and 2021, finishing 13th and 12th in the table during his two full seasons at the helm.
He continued: "Listen if you're going to do this job then you're going to be criticised and you've got to be able to take it.
4
4
"I was disappointed with these comments and it was totally, in my opinion, out of order because half of it was a load of bulls***. Sorry.
"And when I see some of the quotes like I put on my boots and put on a whistle because the Saudi Arabians were there, I mean what a load of nonsense. That is ridiculous."
Since leaving the club, he had a seven-month spell at West Brom before taking over at Blackpool in September.
The former Manchester United captain oversaw a 2-0 victory at Northampton on Saturday before addressing Gayle's remarks.
He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Is that the legendary Dwight Gayle, who missed a chance in the quarter-final against Manchester City?
"Is that the same Dwight Gayle? Interesting. I've been around the block a long, long time, I've only managed 1,050 games.
'Don't do tactics' - Steve Bruce snaps back at former Newcastle player over damning claims
"But according to Dwight, I don't know what I'm doing. So I'll let other people make their mind up. I'm a bit more established than what Dwight ever was."
Gayle had also referenced the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City in June 2020.
He recalled: "I remember some of the boys got chucked into the Manchester City shift. We had like a three-game week.
"I think the gaffer sort of chucked a few of the boys under the bus in terms of who had to play against Man City away. Me and Matt Ritchie were asking for tactical improvements for weeks or months.
"We came in at half time, I think we were like two or 3-0, or something down, and he's like, 'Boys, you keep asking for tactics, I don't do tactics. Just put your boots on and work hard.'"
The 35-year-old left Newcastle at the end of the 2021/22 campaign to join Stoke on a free transfer.
He is currently starring in Scotland for Hibernian, though, having signed a deal through to the end of the season back in September.
