Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has insisted he will not pick Ross McCormack until the striker’s “attitude towards training improves”.
The £12million arrival was a notable absentee in the 2-2 draw against Preston and Bruce demanded an vast improvement from the striker when he was quizzed about why McCormack was missing from the squad.
“McCormack is, in my opinion, not fit enough to play,” said Bruce via the Express and Star.
“He won’t play unless his attitude towards training and missing training improves. If he continually keeps missing training then that’s going to be the situation.
“Not in 20 years of management have I gone down this route before. I only ask one thing of them, to turn up. He’s decided that the team has picked itself today.”
When asked why McCormack had missed so many training sessions, Bruce replied: “The gates were stuck.”
He continued: “It’s happened more than once. It hasn’t quite worked for him. We all don’t want this situation.
“That doesn’t interest me. There’s been too much indiscipline at this club for too long and I won’t put up with it.”
Reports later on Saturday evening have since claimed Bruce visited the striker's home to photograph the gates and prove he could have made training by climbing over a 4 1/2 foot wall.
There is a strong rumour that McCormack is unsettled at Aston Villa as Fulham are looking to bring him back to the club on loan, but Bruce was quick to cool any talk.
“Not that I’m aware of,” he said when pushed about potential interest from Fulham. “Unless it’s happened in the last two hours.”