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Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has lashed out at Dwight Gayle for tearing into Steve Bruce’s reign at Newcastle United.
As Toon supporters celebrated the Carabao Cup triumph over Liverpool, former No.9 Gayle took aim at Bruce. The 64-year-old was in charge at St James’ Park between 2019 and 2021 before being moved on by the Saudi-backed ownership.
"He was OK," Gayle told the Open Goal podcast. "I felt that he didn't spend enough time working on a lot of things with us. 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 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 hit back following Blackpool’s 2-0 win over Northampton Town - taking a swipe at Gayle’s career. He said: "Is that the legendary Dwight Gayle, who missed the chance in the quarter-final against Manchester City?
“Is that the same Dwight Gayle? Interesting. 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."
Ex-Palace owner Jordan - who briefly had Bruce as manager in 2001 - has stuck up for his former colleague. Slamming Gayle on talkSPORT, he said: “I think Steve should’ve risen above it. That was a laddy environment (Gayle’s podcast) with two non-critical mates sitting opposite him guffawing at what he said.
“Bruce managed for me a long time ago and one thing he did was get himself on the training ground. Obviously, a long time has passed. Dwight Gayle, to me, was an average player, he played at Palace. I think Steve told me (years ago) the contract demands Gayle thought he was entitled to at Newcastle.
“I don’t know why he wants to make those observations. I doubt there’s anything seeded in accuracy but it will play to the gallery. The people at Newcastle didn’t appreciate Steve or like him as a manager.
“If I were Steve Bruce or if I’d spoken to him about it, I’d say ‘Why did you bother with that little twerp?’ Dwight was suggesting Bruce didn’t lift a leg until the Saudis came in.”
Jordan did, however, admit that his defence came from a place of friendship. He added: “I always find myself defending Steve because I like him as a friend. I also liked him as a manager, even though we had our differences at the time. Sometimes there has been treatment dished out that I don’t think he’s entitled to.
“I think it’s beneath Dwight Gayle - or maybe it isn’t. But it's certainly beneath Steve to respond to it. He doesn’t need to. The fact he’s bitten means we’re now discussing it.”
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