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.
