Steve Bruce and Matt Ritchie were involved in a sensational training ground showdown in which the Newcastle boss physically confronted the winger and barged into him after being called a ‘coward’ by the player.
The expletive-laden bust-up — witnessed by stunned team-mates on Tuesday — leaves Bruce’s position under threat, with several players no longer trusting the manager, especially after he publicly blamed them for Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Wolves.
Ritchie was furious when Bruce, during his post-match interview, accused him of not passing on tactical instructions to the team amid the confusion before Wolves’ equalising goal.
Sportsmail can exclusively reveal Newcastle boss Steve Bruce (middle) furiously clashed with winger Matt Ritchie (right) on the training ground this week (Pictured in February 2020)
Bruce placed blame on Ritchie for not getting instructions on quick enough about a formation switch prior to Wolves scoring the equalising goal in a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park
��”We should stop the cross, it was a frustration, we will have to concede that one”
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce clears up the confusion during Matt Ritchie’s substitution right before they conceded the equaliser pic.twitter.com/t8ykDjBugi
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 27, 2021
He is said to have telephoned Bruce after the game and wanted to have it out there and then. Bruce said he would speak to the 31-year-old at training on Tuesday. It is said this caused Ritchie further irritation.
However, when assistant boss Steve Agnew was sent to the training pitch to tell Ritchie that Bruce was ready to see him in his office, the player refused and said he was not speaking to the ‘coward’ again.
A livid Bruce emerged to confront Ritchie and this is when their incredible exchange unfolded, as Sportsmail can exclusively reveal.
Ritchie replaced Emil Krafth in the 72nd minute and Newcastle conceded 60 seconds later
Ritchie (centre left with coach Graeme Jones) took issue with the manager’s interview and made it clear he would not speak to ‘coward’ Bruce again after being summoned to his office
“He hasn’t told Jacob Murphy anything.”
“He’s like Robert De Niro! ‘You talking to me?!'”@Carra23 takes a look at how a breakdown in communication cost #NUFC against Wolves on the weekend…⬛⬜#MNF pic.twitter.com/iPN2yGMinU
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 1, 2021
We have been told Bruce was ‘shoulder-barging’ into Ritchie but the player did not retaliate physically. The 60-year-old was allegedly infuriated by Ritchie calling him a ‘coward’ and said to him: ‘After all I’ve done for you.’
Sources say Ritchie, who was awarded a new contract last year, responded by saying: ‘You’ve done f*** all for me,’ before telling Bruce he was a ‘coward’ and that he was ‘done’ with him.
Bruce is then understood to have said: ‘What are you going to do? Tell Lee Charnley?’
This is thought to be a reference to Bruce’s suspicion that players have reported their unhappiness to the managing director. Interestingly, we are told Charnley appeared at the training ground on Wednesday.
We understand team-mates have sided with Ritchie and that there is a growing feeling of resentment towards Bruce in the dressing room.
The players were said to be ‘disgusted’ when news of Karl Darlow being dropped appeared in the press last week — before the goalkeeper had been informed — and they believe it was Bruce who leaked the news. Bruce told Darlow that he was not playing on Friday — 72 hours after the story broke — and the keeper challenged him on the press report. Bruce denied leaking it.
Bruce (middle, pictured at training in March 2020) ‘shoulder barged’ Ritchie as the row escalated but the dressing room are said to have sided with the winger (right) on the dispute
One source said: ‘There has long been an inquest into who has been leaking stories from the training ground and the manager has stood back and watched players and staff accuse each other, yet he is the biggest leak of all. Most of the players do not trust him and do not like him.’
Several players want new assistant boss Graeme Jones to take charge until the end of the season, believing he represents their best chance of avoiding relegation.
Bruce, it is claimed, even told some players that he thought Jones was to blame for the tactical mix-up that led to Wolves’ goal. This spread among the squad on Tuesday and was met with a response of, ‘It’s never his fault’.
Meanwhile, some in the dressing room were annoyed when midfielder Jonjo Shelvey gave an interview on a podcast last week in which he lauded Bruce.
A source said: ‘It did not go down well among the players. They are saying Jonjo looked like a hostage in the video, as if he was being forced to say it.’
We are told that some players are now openly laughing in WhatsApp groups at some of Bruce’s comments in the media, especially his recent claims that he was now going to do things ‘his way’ after 18 months in charge.
Players were left ‘disgusted’ that goalkeeper Karl Darlow discovered he was to be dropped before Bruce had had a conversation with him that he was coming out of the starting XI
There was also annoyance in the Newcastle dressing room at Jonjo Shelvey’s (centre) appearance on a podcast last week in which he praised Bruce despite the side’s struggles
But none of them were laughing on Saturday after Bruce blamed Ritchie for not passing on a change in formation when he came on as a substitute. Newcastle lost the ball and, with players out of position, Wolves broke and scored, costing the side two points.
Bruce also took aim at defender Jamal Lewis and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, as well as striker Joelinton.
There is a feeling among the players that the manager rarely takes responsibility and is all too quick to pass the buck on to them. That is said to be part of the reason behind Ritchie’s outburst. Their relationship has been on thorny ground for several weeks now.
Newcastle are three points above the bottom three and are on a run of two wins from 17 matches in all competitions. They travel to 19th-placed West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. The hierarchy are sticking by Bruce but, with players no longer hiding their displeasure with his management, it could leave owner Mike Ashley and Charnley asking serious questions as to the best way forward.
Newcastle, Bruce and Ritchie did not wish to comment. However, it is understood that Ritchie apologised to staff and players at the training ground on Wednesday.