Martin Keown said on talkSPORT (10:44am, March 5, 2021) that Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce seems to be losing the trust and respect of his players.
The Arsenal legend made the comments while discussing the reported bust-up between Bruce and Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie.
According to a report in The Telegraph this week, Ritchie was not happy with Bruce for singling him out for the goal that Newcastle conceded against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League game between the two sides.
The report has claimed that the 31-year-old Scottish winger has apologised for his outburst.
Keown said on talkSPORT (10:44am, March 5, 2021) when asked if Bruce is fire-fighting: “Yes, he is, and I think what he needs to do is make sure that none of this haunts the team going into what is a massive game this weekend against West Bromwich Albion than it already has.”
The Arsenal legend added: “At the end of the day you need that trust with the players and the respect, and that seems to have disappeared at the moment.”
Moving on
Altercations between managers and players and between players are not really uncommon at football clubs.
While it is perhaps disconcerting that the bust-up between Bruce and Ritchie was made public, there is nothing that anyone can do about it now.
Newcastle need to move past this and focus on their next Premier League, which is a big one.
The Magpies will take on West Bromwich Albion away from home at The Hawthorns in the Premier League on Sunday.
Both Newcastle and West Brom are in real danger of going down to the Championship at the end of the season.
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