Sunderland’s Poyet plays down touchline clash with Bruce

Uruguayan was sent to the stands during first-half at KC Stadium




Gus Poyet revealed the 24 hours preceding Sunderland’s Premier League draw at Hull had been the most difficult of his managerial career.


Sunderland suspended Adam Johnson on Monday, pending the outcome of a police investigation, after the 27-year-old England winger was bailed following arrest on suspicion of sexual activity with a girl under 16.

“The only thing I can tell you is that it was a very difficult day yesterday. I never had one like that,” was Poyet’s succinct summary of the situation.

The travelling support sang ‘there’s only one Adam Johnson’ shortly after kick-off in a match that was mired in controversy for a 36th-minute flashpoint near the dugouts after Poyet was dismissed to the stands for his water-bucket kicking protest to referee Mike Dean’s decision to book Jack Rodwell for simulation.

Instead of taking the direct route, the Uruguayan circumvented the Hull technical area and offered his hand to Bruce before clapping his adversary in a sarcastic manner. Words were also exchanged which clearly incensed Bruce, although the managers were united in their refusal to share them publicly post-match.

However, they also clearly had different versions as Bruce claimed “it was not very pleasant” while Poyet countered: “Read my lips and then we’ll see who said what.”

Poyet took exception to an earlier incident involving Paul McShane who he claimed ‘was diving like he was a theatre dancing ballet and he lost his foot’ to get a free-kick for Hull. He lost his cool, he said, when Rodwell received different treatment.

“It was grown men acting like children. Look, we all do stupid things but we will all wake up in the morning and regret it,” said Bruce. “I am not sure what I am supposed to have done - I only went to his assistant and said that Rodwell had dived.”


By Richard Gibson, Guardian