Saturday 21 January 2017 19:50, UK
Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce insists he will not pick Ross McCormack until the striker's "attitude towards training improves" after he was left out of the 2-2 draw with Preston.
McCormack, a £12million signing from Fulham in the summer, has been linked with a loan move back to Craven Cottage in The Sun but Bruce denies all knowledge of such a deal.
The Villa boss, though, has questioned the 30-year-old's commitment to the cause after watching Preston fight back from a two-goal deficit to earn a point at Villa Park.
Bruce said: "In my opinion he is not fit enough to play and he will not play unless his attitude towards training and missing training improves.
"If that improves then I will reconsider him but if he continues to miss training, as he has done, that will be the situation.
"There has been too much indiscipline here at Villa. Not in 20 years in management have I ever gone down this route but I feel I have to make a stance because I will not put up with it on my watch.
"He has decided the team has picked itself. How can I pick him when he doesn't come into training?
"His failure to turn up for training has happened more than once. Everyone can have an excuse but when it is more than once I will not accept it."
Asked why he's been absent from training, Bruce said: "His gates were stuck."
Bruce was also perplexed to explain how his side relinquished the half-time lead to allow battling Preston to salvage a most unlikely draw.
Albert Adomah was twice on the mark for Villa in the first period but then Jordan Hugill snapped up two goals for a revitalised Preston in the second half to earn a point.
