Tony Cascarino has admitted that he’s been very impressed with Anthony Gordon’s start to the season for Newcastle United.
Gordon has been arguably Newcastle’s most important player this season and his availability has played a huge part in that.
TalkSPORT presenter Tony Cascarino has been speaking about Gordon’s impressive few months at Newcastle and has tipped the winger to have a very bright future in football.
England call-up is right around the corner for Gordon
Gordon is Newcastle’s second top scorer in the Premier League season with six just behind Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak with seven, though the winger does also have five assists.
Despite the impressive form, Gordon is yet to make it into Gareth Southgate’s England squad, but Cascarino has suggested that a call-up can’t be too far off for Newcastle’s star man.
The 22-year-old is definitely knocking on Southgate’s door, though the England boss continues to pick the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish, who have struggled to find form, ahead of him.
If the attacker’s incredible form does continue, then Southgate will have no option but to bring him to the Euro 2024 tournament next summer, but there’s still a way to go this season.
On talkSPORT, Cascarino said: “I always think of the coaching staff. I think about how important they are to him because they have to nurture him to become a better player, a better person and to have more impact in the game.
“He looks like now someone who’s got a point to prove and he’s done that really well. He’s very close to being selected for England, that’s for sure because his performances have been that good, he’s scored a number of goals, he’s very direct, very quick.
“If he keeps himself together mentally, he’s got the world at his feet Anthony Gordon. I remember watching him at Anfield playing for Everton, he was the best player on the pitch and he was probably a teen at the time and thinking, he’s going to be some player this lad.
“Then he sort of fell away, the Everton thing was a bit of a problem, they had to sell him and he went to Newcastle with his tail between his legs because Evertonians were a bit upset with the way it came about.
“He didn’t handle himself particularly well at that period, he’s grown up a bit since then and now we’re seeing the consequences of that maturity.”
Gordon’s development at Newcastle has been phenomenal
When signing for Newcastle in January for £45m, there was a worry that Gordon wouldn’t have the attitude to work hard in Eddie Howe’s team, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact it has largely been his high work rate and intense style of play that has earned him all of these plaudits, rather than the goals and assists that he is providing, although that certainly does help.
Not only is the winger so good at driving forwards with the ball, he also puts a lot of effort in on the defensive side of things to help out his full-backs, which is exactly the kind of player Howe wants in all areas of the pitch.
If this is what Gordon can achieve with just a year at Newcastle under Howe, it makes you wonder what the true potential of the young man is.
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