Bruce ultimatum: Career of senior Aston Villa player dead in the water unless this happens
By Matt Farr
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce insists controversial striker Ross McCormack has no future at the club unless he apologises.
The 30-year-old fell out-of-favour with the manager after missing training last month, claiming he could not get out because the electric gates at his house did not open.
However, an impatient Bruce showed little sympathy for McCormack’s reasoning, slamming his attitude.
The striker was swiftly exiled from the first-team at Villa Park, and has since been shipped out to Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season.
McCormack will still have three years left on his deal when he returns to Aston Villa in the summer, but Bruce has revealed that there may not be a place for him in the squad unless he apologises to the club for his actions.
He told the Sun: “Ross has to behave like everybody else. Whether he’s a £12m player of a £12 player, you can’t treat them any different.
“Certainly, he won’t play for me unless he apologises, not to me but to the club and his team-mates.
“Then he’ll be like everybody else – new slate, no problem.”
However, the Scotland international is not likely to be seen waving the white flag any time soon, insisting in an earlier report that he has no reason to apologise.
McCormack will now be looking to get things back on track with Nottingham Forest, with his long-term Aston Villa career seemingly dead in the water.
He scored just three goals from 22 appearances since his £12million arrival at Villa Park from Fulham at the start of the season.
In other Aston Villa news, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy has signed a new long-term deal at the club, but what did the fans think?
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