Newcastle star Anthony Gordon is proving his former Everton coaches wrong as he continues to show he can realise his huge potential. Gordon scored his sixth goal of the Premier League season in the Magpies’ 1-0 victory over Manchester United.
His desire to get on the end of Kieran Trippier’s low cross allowed him to tap home the only goal of the game. But there have been many people who have worked with the winger who believed his mentality would prevent him from reaching huge heights.
Former Everton boss Rafa Benitez revealed that academy coaches within the Toffees set-up felt that his mindset did not match his talent. “I was talking with the coaches in the academy and my assistants and then he went to Preston on loan,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports in January.
“They said we know he has the talent, but maybe not the mentality. The boy told me, when he was in the national team U19s he was one of the best players, but he wasn’t going to the U21s because they didn’t see how hard he worked.
“He was confident that the way he was training was working. He played 12 games in total with us and he was doing well, I am really pleased to see him progressing. He has to improve some parts of his game – he knows that.”
Gordon is now proving those doubters wrong despite a tricky start to his Newcastle career. The 22-year-old had to be reminded about his discipline by Eddie Howe soon after joining from Everton at the start of the year.
It is not just his former coaches who Gordon has proved wrong. It is pundits, too, with talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan insisting that the England U21 starlet’s attitude was ‘not right’. Speaking with Danny Murphy, Jordan said: “I get the vibe that Anthony Gordon’s attitude isn’t right and has not been right for some time.
“As Danny said, he hasn’t been on the pitch very much, and that might tell you something. I think there is a feeling that his attitude hasn’t been right since perhaps Chelsea first came in for him. It’s an unpalatable situation, but it’s the reality of the modern-day footballer, who grows up through your academy but times get tough and you don’t fancy it because a better opportunity comes your way.
“That might be me being a bit harsh, but when you need people, this is where you see those who stand up, and if what I said is right then Everton should look to cash in and get as much for him as they possibly can.
“But the £60m figure is laughable, it’s ridiculous. He’s not worth £60m. If they can get something around £30m or maybe £40m with add-ons, then maybe Everton can utilise that money and redirect it into areas that will help them get out of this predicament.”
Gordon’s is rubbishing accusations that his attitude is hampering his development. His continued rise under Howe will put him in contention for England’s Euro 2024 squad.
