Bristling Steve Bruce clamps 'legendary' Dwight Gayle over Newcastle claims aired on Open Goal

The Hibs striker took aim but his former boss isn't happy in the slightest

Smarting Steve Bruce has returned fire on Dwight Gayle after his former Newcastle United star slammed him over a lack of tactical acumen.

The 64-year-old could barely hide his contempt days after the now Hibs striker went public over concerns he had during their shared time on Tyneside. But Bruce didn't prescribe to Gayle's version of events which he claimed Bruce flung his own stars under the bus with a danger mission against Manchester City.

Speaking after Saturday's 2-0 win over Northampton, the Blackpool boss 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.”

Gayle unloaded on Bruce as he served up a series of slights aimed in the direction of the boyhood Newcastle fan who was never loved back in his hometown during two years at St James' Park

Speaking to Open Goal, the 35-year-old said: “He was okay, 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 free 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 and 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. We were like, it’s Man City, it’s not good enough to just run around. That’s one I was in shocked by.”

Gayle has been a success at Easter Road and said: “(Junior Hoilett) is one of the best, the boys are amazed at how good he is. In training they’re like five years ago you must have been the best player in the world. You can’t get the ball off him, he’s just so good. He’s 34.

“Nectar (Triantis) has just been unbelievable. That unpredictability I mentioned before, he’s someone who is so good at it. You think he’s going to pass there and he’ll just dribble somewhere else and catch people out.

"He’s a very powerful figure in the middle, he’s been one of our better players. (Nicky) for the team, from set-plays

"He’s someone that could match like Matty Ritchie, his technique is ridiculous. All of the boys have chipped in and people have taken their turn in being the main player and the defence have been really good at the moment.”