Ross McCormack blasted as 'unfit' by Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce

The 30-year-old was left out of Villa's squad for Saturday's 2-2 draw with Preston with Bruce accusing him of being not fit enough to play.

He claimed McCormack, who joined Villa from Fulham in a big money move last summer, had made a number of excuses for missing training, with the latest one being that the gates of his home were stuck.

"McCormack is, in my opinion, not fit enough to play," said Bruce. "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 much, training, 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."

McCormack has netted just three goals this season and was this week linked with a move back to Fulham.

But Bruce poured cold water on that rumour.

"Not that I'm aware of," he said. "Unless it's happened in the last two hours."