Just days after NUFC loanee Ivan Toney had a pop at the club for not wishing him a happy birthday, Scunthorpe manager Graham Alexander has admitted he is ‘not happy’ with the the 22-year-old’s childish antics during their 2-1 defeat to Shrewsbury on Sunday.
Toney won a penalty while his side were 1-0 up over Shrewsbury, however he tried to take the ball off regular penalty taker Josh Morris. He didn’t get his way, but Morris ended up missing the penalty – which was made even worse by the fact they went on to lose 2-1.
As many may have seen, Toney posted the below pictured on his Twitter account on Friday night, firing a dig at parent club Newcastle for not wishing him a happy birthday (ridiculous). This penalty incident is a separate incident, but this is another act of pettiness which will have done little to impress a certain Rafa Benitez.
Scunthorpe boss Graham Alexander was far from impressed, having the following to say about Toney following the costly incident:
“I spoke to Ivan straight after the game and told him my thoughts.
“Hopefully he learns from that type of incident because it just can’t happen again.
“There shouldn’t be an argument.
“We can only surmise whether it contributed to Josh having the penalty saved but it is the first one he hasn’t scored for us.
“I have been there as a penalty taker and it is not a good situation. You want to be focussed, concentrating on your kick and not having an argument with a team mate about who should take it, when the evidence shows you are the penalty taker.
“It is a moment I am not happy about but I have made my feelings clear and that is the end of the matter.
“Ivan is a young player but you have got to learn the importance of the team and hopefully that will be a big lesson he has learnt.
“I am not hanging anyone out but I have had to say what I did and it ends there.”
Sounds like this lad has a lot of growing up to do. There was talk a few weeks ago that, despite his promise, the club would listen to offers for him this summer. We’re perhaps see why here.
Hardly proving he’s the sort of character Rafa Benitez will want around his NUFC dressing room, is he?
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