Last Updated: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:27
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has blasted reports suggesting he has had a bust up with Black Cats midfielder Kieran Richardson.
Richardson was substituted during the first half of the recent 2-0 defeat at Everton and reports claimed Bruce was involved in a furious bust up with the player during the interval.
The midfielder has not been seen since which has added fuel to the fire but Bruce says the player is injured and insists there are no problems.
"I've seen the Kieran Richardson stories and they're totally wrong," Bruce revealed. "I might have had a bust up with a few of them in that dressing room, but Kieran wasn't involved.
"I fell out with a few players, and rightly so given the standard of the first-half performance. But the suggestion that Kieran was singled out or anything like that is wrong.
"Let's put one other thing right too. Kieran picked up a hematoma in his calf against Everton and it's a really nasty problem. That was the reason why he came off, and that's the reason why he hasn't been involved since. It's nothing to do with any supposed bust up."