article on there now - "no comment" from club.
48hours "cool down" period - when the f*** are they gonna train?
Haven't read the article but is it not 48 hours after the Wolves game?
Rather than a 48 hour cool down after yesterday
yeah you're right.
Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce handed his players 48 hours to cool down after the Magpies' 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, his public criticism of winger Matt Ritchie is understood to have left the former Bournemouth star furious before an incident in which he was seen to have failed to pass on a formation tweak on Saturday against Wolves was magnified by Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
The five-minute analysis of the breakdown in communications was played out to a national audience with Carragher left flabbergasted by the sight of Jacob Murphy still operating on the left-wing when he should have been at right wing-back.
Newcastle players are said to be unhappy that the situation played out on TV before they had a chance to discuss matters "in house".
What is believed to have angered Ritchie - who would have left Newcastle in January had a deal with his old side Bournemouth not fell through - is Bruce's comments after the game to TV reporters: "The instructions Matty didn't get on to the team quick enough on how we were doing it."
But rather than discuss the moment in-depth straight after the game or even in a Sunday session, the Toon boss left the situation dangling over the weekend.
Ritchie's anger has now been reported by the Daily Mail and the Sun in fresh national headlines on Wednesday night with Newcastle issuing a "no comment" status when contacted by Chronicle Live last night.
The Dorset-born Ritchie is said to have apologised to staff and players after clashing with both Steve Agnew and Bruce at the training ground when refusing to head to the manager's office on Tuesday, after he was left even more annoyed when the Toon chief told him via phone it would be dealt with on Tuesday.
It is understood to be the second incident in a week caused by comments made by Bruce in the media.
After the 3-1 loss to Man United Bruce stated he would have to "look at" his goalkeeper Karl Darlow and that the ex-Nottingham Forest stopper had made the "cardinal sin".
This was followed up with headlines later last week claiming Darlow had been "dropped" in the Daily Telegraph before the goalie was informed face to face.
Newcastle players were left unimpressed by Darlow learning by social media he'd been axed but Bruce's decision to call out Ritchie, Jamal Lewis and Martin Dubravaka has rankled the squad further.
Preparations for the trip to West Brom continued on Wednesday and today, with Newcastle publishing a picture of Ritchie in training and smiling yesterday.
Bruce is scheduled to face the media on Friday morning to talk about the game with the Baggies but is already under public pressure about poor results this term and will be expected by fans to address the Ritchie stories.
Suggestions that some players want to see first-team coach Graeme Jones in charge until the end of the season have also emerged in the last 48 hours, but Newcastle would have to pay Bruce a seven-figure sum to end his current deal early and the ex-Man United skipper has no intention of resigning.
