What started as a routine podcast appearance for former Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle has evolved into a war of words with maligned manager Steve Bruce – and Gabriel Agbonlahor has now weighed in.
Gayle, in an interview released last week, bashed Bruce for his tactics and managerial skills as the Magpies boss, which Bruce fired back saying Gayle had no right to critique him after the respective careers both had.
And now TalkSport pundit Agbonlahor, who played under Bruce at Aston Villa, leapt to the 64-year-old’s defence, and labelled Gayle as a ‘failure’ who should respect Bruce.
Gayle and Bruce’s war of words
Whilst it was often alluded to that many players in Steve Bruce’s Newcastle sides weren’t overly fond of the manager and his tactics, Dwight Gayle’s comments last week truly felt like the most damning claims yet, over three years since the former Sunderland manager departed.
“Me and Matt Ritchie 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, I don’t do tactics; just put your boots on and work hard’.”
Bruce fired back over the weekend after his Blackpool side’s 2-0 win over Northampton town. “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. I’ll let other people make their minds up who are a bit more established than Dwight ever was.”
Agbolahor: “Put respect on his name”
Gabriel Agbonlahor, who played 20 times under Bruce during his own injury-blighted career at Aston Villa, has now jumped to the defence of the former Manchester United defender following Gayle’s criticism.
Speaking on TalkSport, Agbonlahor insisted that Bruce is a “top manager” and slated Gayle over his Premier League career:
“Steve Bruce, when he sees that, probably thinks about Dwight Gayle ‘You were the nearly man in the Premier League’. He wasn’t good enough for the Premier League and had to go down to the Championship. Now he’s playing in Scotland”
“I thought it was disrespectful and spiteful. Steve Bruce wouldn’t have wanted to have a bite back but sometimes you have to when someone’s speaking like that. Fair play to Steve Bruce. He was a top manager that I worked under.”
“I can’t imagine many players coming out and speaking like that about Steve Bruce. He’s very well respected in the game and still managing today at Blackpool.
“Put some respect on his name. As Brucey said, maybe if it were someone who had a proper career, he’d have listened to them. Not someone who failed in the Premier League.”
Who’s right? Gayle or Agbonlahor?
The answer to just how positive, successful and influential Steve Bruce was a manager will depend on who you ask.
For Agbonlahor, as well as many other of his media mates, Bruce is brilliant. Over 1,000 games managed, an FA Cup final appearance, and promotions with Birmingham and Hull paint the picture that Bruce enjoyed a moderate level of success during his managerial heyday.
But for Gayle, football fans and anyone associated with Newcastle who witnessed the non-existent ‘tactics’ that Gayle talked about, and it’s not hard to see how Bruce has accumulated the second lowest % win rate out of all Premier League managers to manage at least 200 games in the competition!
It’s all a matter of opinion. Agbonlahor has a right to his.
I personally think Benitez was/is an arrogant, overrated, negative fraud. Everton and Chlesa fans would agree with me, many wouldn’t.
The Panther(Quote)
That’s true, but Agbonlahor’s point is a bit odd – just because Bruce ‘took training’ when managing him all those years ago doesn’t mean what Gayle’s saying must be a lie.
Times change and Gayle is one of several former players who’ve pretty much exposed Bruce’s lack of tactics or work ethic.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
No, it’s not a matter of opinion. Bruce’s record in no way suggests he is a “top manager”. I can understand old mates like Agbonlabore being loyal, but they need to back up their generalisations with facts and statistics and stop trying to rewrite history.
As for respect, it has to be earned, and Bruce certainly earned it as a player. As a person, it seems to be mainly from his old mates now plying a trade as pundits. And rightly so.
Rotobob(Quote)
I personally couldn’t give a ****.
Neither were good enough for our club – both from an Ashley era that should serve as a reminder of just how much better things are now.
I’d Will Smith the both of them – slap ‘keep my clubs name outya ****ing mouth!!’ 🤫
Sharpy17(Quote)
Rotobob(Quote)
Gayle’s goals got us back to the PL, to be fair. I’d argue he’s done more for NUFC than Bruce.
We stayed up in spite of him, at times. Players bailed him out and we got very lucky.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Yes players bailed him out, Willock for example with seven goals in seven games and he’s done nothing like it since.
Agbonlahor will probably say it’s the mighty Steve’s coaching prowess 😂
Gayle never really cut it as a Premiership player but was a decent Championship player when he was fit.
Gayle knew his level as a player, it’s a shame Bruce doesn’t recognise his as a manager!
Joseph(Quote)
Olly – neither were good enough mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
In the Premier League, no. But Gayle played a key role in getting us back to the PL. That’ll be his NUFC legacy. Bruce will be remembered very differently!
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Bruce never was and never will be a top manager. At no point in his 1050 games as a manager has he ever given the impression he knows what he’s doing.
moxey(Quote)
I see no issue with Gayle calling it out. I don’t think he’s the first, is he? I think others have done it indirectly.
If you’d worked under a useless boss, and you were no longer working with or for them, don’t need a reference from them and don’t care what they think of you then why wouldn’t you call it out?
Bruce claims to be a fan but he took the club to the cleaners. If he was a fan of the club he’d have handed in his notice rather than waiting for a big pay off when he inevitably got sacked.
He’s a grifter who’s up there with the likes of Michael Owen where our club is concerned. By Gayle calling it out, other clubs can now avoid hiring this leech.
Ian(Quote)
Bruce is on par with Mclaren and Carver who “worked with Sir Bobby you know” only good for the Grggs run.
Wallsendstu(Quote)
If Gayle was the only one to say stuff like this about Bruce then I’d take it with a pinch of salt but he isn’t the only one.
Bruce is a massive fraud as a manager and how he has had so many jobs or games managed is a total mystery.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Bruce was terrible and was a bang average manager .. Gayle was fantastic for us in the championship .. he was asked questions in the interview and spoke clearly .. there is no doubt from other players that Dwight is likely more truthful than Bruce
Mike(Quote)
You sometimes get a lot of nonsense about Bruce keeping us up until the Saudi’s came in, but the truth is that we just barely stayed up because of players like Wilson, Willock and ASM doing Roy of the Rovers stuff, as opposed to any sort of great management from Bruce. And Lascelles should a get a shout as well given his leadership at the club through the tough times.
Kevin(Quote)
Bruce has too be the biggest narcissist Newcastle ever had the misfortune too employ never had a clue what he was doing his time at West Brom proved that and didn’t gayle play under him there as well as for Bruce every time he was called out he played the victim card he’s deluded he may have been round the block but come on as for gayle premiership nearly man yes but he got us out of the championship with his goals anyway we’ve moved on from them now
Jonboy72(Quote)