A FORMER Manchester United hot prospect was forced into “torturous” training sessions in a bid to make him quit his club.
But amid the brutal regime, he was driven on by a supportive coach urging him: “Don’t let them break you”.
GettyRyan Tunnicliffe had a nightmare second year with his last team[/caption]
Tunnicliffe played with stars such as Paul Pogba at Old TraffordGetty – Contributor
Midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe is the player at the centre of the amazing claims Down Under.
He was at Old Trafford from 2009-2014, featuring alongside future heroes such as Paul Pogba and earning England caps at Under-16 and U-17 level.
Tunnicliffe, now 32, went on to have decent spells with Fulham, Millwall, Luton and Portsmouth.
But a move to Australian team Adelaide United on a two-year deal in 2023 went less than smoothly.
And Tunnicliffe’s troubles peaked when the club’s technical director Ernest Faber wanted him out – according to 7NEWS Adelaide.
The Australian broadcaster revealed whistleblowing claims by former assistant Travis Dodd.
The former Adelaide player, 45, suggested ex-coach Carl Veart was undermined by Faber last season.
Dodd reckoned Faber asked players to pick the team without telling Veart.
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And it’s reckoned Tunnicliffe was caught up in the saga.
He only played four minutes last season before departing in May – with Veart also leaving after five years in charge, as well as Dodd.
And it’s alleged Tunnicliffe faced a bizarre ordeal as he struggled for game time.
7News Adelaide reported Faber “forced unwanted import Ryan Tunnicliffe to train on his own, putting him through torturous running sessions in the hope he would quit the club”.
Dodd told the channel: “I said, ‘Mate, don’t let them break you’. He goes, ‘I can do it’.
“And, credit to him, for two weeks he rocked up when he was asked to rock up, did what he was asked to do, and seemingly Ernest (Faber) had had enough after two weeks and let him rejoin the first-team squad.”
Former Adelaide player Josh Cavallo alleged on the 7News Facebook comment section that he too suffered because of Faber.
The ex-Socceroos U-20 ace, 25, claimed Veart was “under clear instructions by the people above him” not to pick him.
AlamyTunnicliffe left Adelaide in may after an unhappy second season[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
