Etuhu/Safri bust-up confirmed

CHRIS WISE Norwich midfielders Youssef Safri and Dickson Etuhu were involved in a training ground bust-up in the lead-up to last Saturday's painful defeat at Plymouth, the club confirmed today.

CHRIS WISE

Norwich midfielders Youssef Safri and Dickson Etuhu were involved in a training ground bust-up in the lead-up to last Saturday's painful defeat at Plymouth, the club confirmed today.

Chief executive Neil Doncaster revealed there had been “a reaction to a physical challenge” at Colney - rather than a fight on the coach after the game, as reported in one national newspaper.

The Sun quoted a 'Canaries insider' as claiming: “There has never been any love lost between Safri and Etuhu. They are always having a go at each other in training. But their feud boiled over on the coach. They were having a real go at each other.”

Responding to that report Doncaster released a statement this morning, saying: “There was a reaction to a physical challenge in training in the week leading up to the Plymouth Argyle game. It was between those two players. It was over in seconds.

“In a contact sport it is the sort of incident that happens in training around the country on a regular basis.

“Contrary to reports, there was absolutely no incident on the coach on the way back from Plymouth.”

The news comes as another blow to manager Nigel Worthington as he faces a two-match ultimatum from majority shareholders Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones to turn the club's season around. He is also sweating on the fitness of star performer Darren Huckerby ahead of Sunday's must-win game with Burnley.