GOOD GORD... STOP DIVING
Toon legend Waddle: Ant goes down too easily ...England need him up on his feet at Euros
NEWCASTLE winger Anthony Gordon is England-bound, but MUST cut out the diving warns Chris Waddle.
Tyneside legend Waddle – who also played for today’s visitors Tottenham and won 62 Three Lions caps – insists that the 22-year-old has all the core attributes to replicate some of his success. Gordon had a fairly underwhelming start to life at St James’ Park following his £45million move last January from Everton. Waddle believes that people were too quick to judge him last season. But he is convinced there is one element of Gordon’s game that he does not need. Waddle said: “A lot of people were too quick to say in his first months that Newcastle had paid too much, and things like that. You’ve got to remember with
Anthony, that he had been at Everton all his life – and this was his first move to a new club.
“I remember going from Newcastle to Tottenham. In my first year, yes I got 14, 15 goals, but I knew I had a lot more to give.
“You have to give anyone time. In two seasons’ time, if he wasn’t doing it, then you can understand that.
“Right now he’s on fire, he looks quick, he looks sharp, he’s got a goal in his locker. He’s a good outlet on that wing, he’s got terrific pace. He can go outside, he can come inside. He has bags of energy.”
But Waddle (right) said: “The only thing I will say is that he goes down far too easily – even the fans can see that.
“There is no need to do it because he is a good player.
“Every little trip, he goes rolling and rolling. When there’s hardly any contact, he still goes down and it’s as if he’s broken his leg... only to eventually get up and walk away.
“What’s all that about? I know it’s an advantage to get a free-kick and it happens more than it happened in my day. I could name loads of players now who do the same.
“My own team-mates would have pulled me and told me to stop doing it. My manager at Newcastle, Arthur
Cox, would definitely have told anyone to cut it out immediately.
“There are probably 200-300 players who do the same as Gordon every Saturday.
“But that said, as a footballer, he is getting better.”
England head coach Gareth Southgate recently hinted that Gordon could be promoted into his senior squad. Waddle added: “There’s no reason why he can’t break into the England squad.
“Gareth always says that he picks players on form. The kid is playing well and is full of confidence. “It’s really the next step up from England Under-21s. So why shouldn’t he be given a chance?
“There’s also a lot of players in the England squad not getting games for their clubs.
“There’s no reason why Gordon can’t push for a place in next summer’s seniors European Championship.
“All successful teams – right from the top like World Cup winners Argentina – have this type of player in their armoury.
“You need these players who are able to make a difference.
“Thankfully, for Newcastle United, Gordon fits into this category.”