Steve Bruce reacts to Piers Morgan's 'treason' attack on Tom Ince

Morgan called midfielder Tom Ince’s decision to quit playing for the age group team as “bordering on treason”.

The 23-year-old Ince, who is currently out on loan at Derby County, said he no longer wanted to be considered by boss Gareth Southgate ahead of this summer’s European Championships.

For Ince, he wanted to make it clear that he was focused on club football and did not want the distraction of having to represent the England U21 team, but for Morgan that was an unacceptable stance.

Morgan, who was speaking on Talksport, said: “If I was running English football, I would ring Tom Ince and say: ‘You don’t want to play for England Under-21s, then you will never play for England at any level ever again for as long as you live!'

“What he has done is bordering on treason. Who do these kids think they are?

“A 23-year-old kid rejecting the chance to play in a major tournament for his country - it is unbelievable.”

But Bruce has reacted to Morgan, defending Ince and launching his own stinging counter-attack on the journalist and broadcaster, who was sacked by the Daily Mirror in 2004 after the paper published hoax pictures from the Iraq war, supposedly showing British solders abusing an Iraqi.

“I think with the decision Tom has made with his father, they must have weighed up the pros and cons," Bruce said.

“I spoke to his father the other day and he informed me of the situation. I can only say I have never had the conversation with Tom but we have to respect that decision.

“But, as for treason and Piers Morgan, I won't forget the photograph he put on the front of the Daily Mirror, that was more treason. So, how dare he?"

But Morgan made sure he had the final word, tweeting his reaction to Bruce’s comments on Saturday and reinforcing his points regarding Ince’s decision.

It is incredibly frustrating for fans to hear that a leading U21 player does not wish to be considered for selection, and Morgan is essentially just someone with a strong opinion on football and a big platform from which to make those views heard. Ince's decision certainly does not amount to treason, but equally it is frustrating for England fans keen to see the U21s finally take a tournament more seriously with the aim of getting young players to have more tournament experience for the future. Ince may well be left to regret his decision, but it is no surprise to see a seasoned manager like Bruce protecting one of his own.