Anton Ferdinand has lifted the lid on an explosive clash with former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce that saw him banished from the club for two weeks. The Black Cats were on the verge of the 2010 pre-season and speculation was mounting over the defender's future at the club.
Ferdinand had played the majority of pre-season for the Wearsiders but suffered a hamstring injury in the penultimate friendly against Leicester City. Speaking to the BroadTalks podcast, he said: "It started okay. I always felt from the minute he stepped in the door that he didn't like me, but he wanted to feel me out. I think he was someone that didn't like - what was I 23 or 24 - for someone at 24 to have such a big say in the dressing room.
"I had a big say in the dressing room, I was never captain but I was captain. I acted like the captain and had a big, big say on the dressing room and it wasn't a case of what I said, went, it was never really like that. But if I truly believed in something I would fight for it.
READ MORE: Sunderland face League One Sheffield Wednesday in Carabao Cup first round - full draw details
"Whether it's for the players, the players don't agree with what the manager is saying but I agree with the manager I would argue with players because I thought the manager was right. It wasn't one way with me. That's just the way that I was. I always thought that he had an issue with me, a personal issue, never football.
"Never, ever football, but I felt he had a personal issue with me. I did two years with him and there were two big ones [bust ups]. There was one which was an argument with him, just me and him in the gym.
"They were all out training and we were just about to start the season, it was his first season. I played every pre-season game and wore the armband a couple of games so I was like 'cool, this is good.' I always had this inclination that he didn't like me as a person, but I knew he liked me as a player because I was wearing the armband.
"I got injured against Leicester, I pulled my hamstring in the second last game of pre-season and we were playing Hoffenheim away. We were flying in and flying out and it was a week before the season started. All of a sudden it goes in the papers, teams in Italy, Sampdoria, Palermo and Napoli were in for me and I came into training and we were flying the next day. It was the last session before the game.
"Baring in mind I had done no training all week, no running, nothing. The physio went to me 'I want to take you outside and run you hard so that you're ready for tomorrow.' I still had pain in my hamstring so said, 'I don't think that's the right thing to do, I feel like I need to look after myself.'
"The physio took it as, I need to look after myself because I might be moving, whereas what I meant was I need to look after myself because the season starts next week. He went to the manager and said 'Anton doesn't want to go out and run.' I never once said that, I said if I go out there and I feel it, I'll come back in but I'll do what you're asking."
Ferdinand added: "All of the boys have gone out to train and I'm on the bike just ticking over to go out and get ready. All of a sudden, assistant manager Eric Black says 'Anton, why don't you want to play tomorrow?' I said 'What do you mean, don't want to play?'
"He went, 'What's this about you going to Italy, it's in the papers?' I said yeah there's talk about it. He said the manager didn't know anything about it and I said it was nothing to do with me. I said the chairman knows because Niall Quinn has spoken to me about it. If the manager doesn't know but the chairman does, that's between them. It's nothing to do with me I'm just a player.
"He [Eric Black] said 'That's not the reason you don't want to play tomorrow is it?' I said don't be silly. No chance. I asked if they would rather me be fit or tomorrow or the start of the season. He said the start of the season and there's your answer. He said no problem and walked out.
"Next thing you know, Steve Bruce walks in, 'Ah Anton, why don't you want to play tomorrow?' I asked what he meant then said 'Gaffer, if you got to know me as a person, you would know and understand I want to play every game. If you got to know me as a person, I'd run through brick walls for you.'
"He went, 'What's this about Italy?' I went 'The chairman knows' and he just lost his s***. He went 'Well I don't f****** know. Who's your agent? Tell him to ring me. Nobody is going to want you with your mentality.'
"When he said that, I'm a man of principles yeah, I'm not a little kid there. If you blast me in the changing rooms like Roy Keane, that's your domain as a manager, I respect you, I won't say anything to you just don't put your hand on me. You can say most things to me and I'll respect you unless you take liberties."
"In your office say what you want, but in a public domain like the gym, don't treat me like I'm a kid," Ferdinand said. "Don't take liberties and talk down to me, I'm a big man. I felt like he was taking the p***. I said 'Who the f*** are you talking to? About my mentality. Don't chat to me like I'm some idiot.'
"He went 'Your mentality this, your mentality that.' [Marcos] Angeleri was in there and I went 'You want to talk about mentality? You've just signed him and you've put him on 20-30k a week. When it gets to the winter, then we'll see about mentality and we'll see who's fighting for you. He'll be in here and I'll be outside when it gets cold, trust me.'
"He [Bruce] started to go at me again. So I got off the bike and followed him out the gym to continue. I was swearing at him and he was swearing at me. He went to me 'How much do you want to leave this football club? How much do you want? £500,000? If it's that, I'll sign the cheque myself and give it to you.'
"I went 'Gaffer, we all know I'm on a bit more than that.' I was cheeky and said 'If you up it, I might actually think about it.' We kept walking and we're walking towards the boot room. It's about 100 yards to the boot room and we're going at it. He's going 'Get out of my club. Get back to London.'
"I went, 'No problem, you're a s*** manager anyway.' Put my hand out [to shake hands] and walked out. You [Kieran Richardson] didn't see me for two weeks. I was in London for two weeks. It was massive and I was there another year. I played but he would never allow me to play three or four games on the bounce. I'd be playing well, play two or three games and then get dragged [out the side.] It was so embarrassing, boys were asking me how I wasn't playing."
We want to hear your thoughts, so LOG IN and leave your comment below
READ NEXT:
- Lynden Gooch signs new Sunderland deal ahead of Championship rebuild
- Lynden Gooch opens up on near Sunderland exit after whirlwind six months
- Fans Together release statement after Kyril Louis-Dreyfus tightens Sunderland reins
- 'Important step' - Kyril Louis-Dreyfus releases statement amid Sunderland ownership update
- 'Methven gone!' - Sunderland supporters react as ownership restructure confirmed
