Yedlin reveals doubts about signing for Toon . . and himself
‘CALM CITY’ NEWCASTLE SUITS AMERICAN IMPORT
DEANDRE Yedlin admits he was initially tentative about dropping down a league last summer – but soon realised that Newcastle United is a club with a “Premier League culture”.
The 23-year-old spent the 2015/16 campaign on loan at Sunderland, who avoided the drop at the expense of their rivals, but then opted to leave Tottenham Hotspur permanently last summer.
When he first learned of the Magpies’ interest, Yedlin harboured doubts about stepping down a level to play in the Championship.
However, once he spoke to Rafa Benitez and learned of the Spaniard’s vision for the club, the US international knew a move to St James’ Park would suit him.
“Kind of in the middle of July, [my agent] said there was Newcastle interest,” Yedlin explained during an in-depth interview with American magazine Sports Illustrated.
“At first, I didn’t want to go down a league, but I realised the club has a Premier League culture.
“It was a risk. It was a very, very tough choice. But I made it and stuck with it. I kind of took it on myself.
“Obviously, I spoke with different people. But I tried not to let their opinions weigh on my decision.
“I sat down with myself: ‘What do you want to do? What are the pros and cons?.’”
Sunderland fans branded the versatile right-sided player a “snake” for swapping the Stadium of Light for St James’ Park.
Then, former USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann questioned Yedlin’s decision to “drop” into the Championship and gave the right-back just 16 minutes combined in defeats against Mexico and Costa Rica.
But soon Yedlin was thriving in the second tier of English football, providing five assists as United clinched the Championship title in dramatic fashion.
The American lived in a rented house in Newcastle, and he loves how similar the city is to his hometown of Seattle.
He prefers the quiet life of the North East to the hustle and bustle of the Big Smoke. “It doesn’t
At first I didn’t want to go down a league, but I realised the club has a Premier League culture DeAndre Yedlin
have the mountains, but it has its nature. It’s a little bit isolated,” Yedlin said of Newcastle. “There’s definitely a more Seattle feel. Living in London and having a lavish lifestyle, it’s not that important to me. “I’m fine with just a simple life. That’s what got me here. “Seattle is bigger, but in terms of the calmness of the city, which is a big thing for me, I think I do a lot better in a city that’s more relaxed.” Interestingly, Yedlin also revealed that being hooked in the 19th minute against Watford in December 2015 while a Sunderland player dented his confidence. “That had never happened to me in my life,” Yedlin added. “It was eyeopening. It was embarrassing. I didn’t understand it. I needed to make the best out of [the loan]. I was really trying to figure out, what is my problem? What can I do to better myself?
“I figured out that, mentally, I needed to get stronger.
“In England, especially, mentally, if you’re not strong it can eat you up.
“There’s the media, all the negativity surrounding footballers. If you’re not mentally strong, it can eat you.
“I wasn’t sure where to start, so I went on Amazon and typed in books about success.”
The US international turned to “Maximum Achievement” by Canadian author Brian Tracy for inspiration.
Since then, he has taken control of his own destiny.
“I’m not a big reader, either. It was kind of an odd thing,” Yedlin explained.
“But that book will be one of the most important things I ever read. I have such a positive mindset now.
“One of the biggest things it did was help me set goals. It’s all things I sort of knew before, but I kind of had to see.
“I was kind of blaming other things and wasn’t realising it.
“The book said nobody can make you feel a certain way.
“You always have control – I had to take responsibility for myself.”