'Interesting' - Ex-West Brom and Birmingham City boss launches scathing attack on former player

Steve Bruce has responded to viral comments made by Dwight Gayle, one of his former players from the pair’s time together at Newcastle United.

Gayle made headlines last week for criticising Bruce’s management style, claiming the 64-year-old “didn’t do tactics” and “chucked a few of the boys under the boys” in a crucial FA Cup clash away at Manchester City in 2020.

Now 35 years of age and at Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership, Gayle racked up 34 goals and 11 assists in 122 appearances for Newcastle between 2016 and 2022. He also played 41 times on loan at West Bromwich Albion during the 2018/19 campaign, scoring 24 goals in an impressive spell at The Hawthorns.

The striker didn’t get on with Bruce at Newcastle anywhere near as well as he did with Darren Moore and James Shan at West Brom, however. In fact, Gayle has even gone as far as accusing Bruce of not putting in as much of an effort as he should’ve at St. James’ Park.

“I felt that he didn’t spend enough time working on a lot of things with us,” Gayle told the Open Goal podcast. “Perhaps he was trying to go game by game rather than developing us as a team. I think we could’ve improved a lot of things.

“I remember some of the boys got chucked into the Man City shift. We had a three-game week and the gaffer chucked some of the boys under the bus in terms of who had to play Man City away.

“Me and Matt Richie were asking for tactical improvements for weeks, months. We came in at half time and we were two or three down, and he was like, ‘Boys, you keep asking for tactics but I don’t do tactics; just put your boots on and work hard’.”

What did Steve Bruce say in response to Dwight Gayle?

Bruce, now at Blackpool in League One, was asked about Gayle’s comments after the Tangerines’ 2-0 win away at Northampton Town on the weekend. The Manchester United legend didn’t hesitate to strike back at his former colleague.

“Is that the legendary Dwight Gayle is it? Who missed the chance in the quarter-final against Manchester City? Is that the same Dwight Gayle? Interesting,” Bruce told BBC Lancashire.

“I’ve been around the block a long, long time. I’ve only managed 1,050 games but according to Dwight, I don’t know what I’m doing. So, I’ll let other people make their minds up, who are a bit more established than Dwight ever was.”

An angered Bruce takes no prisoners, it would appear, with the ex-Birmingham City boss keen to point out his experience in a bid to earn a little more respect.

Bruce’s last two jobs - at Newcastle and West Brom - may not have gone to plan as he dragged both into relegation battles, but he has a point with respect to his career longevity.

In other news, West Brom will receive a mouth-watering cash injection if they are promoted to the Premier League.