Allan Saint-Maximin has been at the centre of controversy this week following an interview with So Foot.
Quotes emerged from the Newcastle star that appeared to criticise his Toon teammates. This came after a disappointing performance against Liverpool from ASM.
Saint-Maximin was reported to have said: “The day that I will have a player capable of finishing move, I will have seasons with 10-15 assists, and I’m going to change dimension in the minds of people.”
This comment didn’t go down well with supporters, seen as a dig aimed at Newcastle’s forwards. There’s been a huge reaction on social media, with many fans unhappy with the Frenchman.
Eddie Howe was asked about the issue in his pre-match press conference, admitting that Maxi had spoke to him about it and was concerned.
“You’ll probably need to ask him what he meant, but I don’t think it was a criticism of his teammates,” Howe said.
“I accepted and was happy with his explanation. In no way did he mean to damage the unity we’ve built. We’ll be speaking to the squad to make sure there’s no fall out.”
Saint-Maximin states he did not criticise teammates in latest interview
Saint-Maximin has now taken to Twitter to explain his actions. He states that his words have been taken out of context and that he ‘never said anything negative’ about his teammates.
It’s good to see Saint-Maximin come out publicly and explain the situation. Hopefully this is the end of the matter and the squad can move on.
As long as there’s no fallout then there’s no issue.
Saint-Maximin is an incredibly ambitious player, and so he should be given the natural ability he possesses. He wants to play at the top, and so do Newcastle following the change of ownership.
With new investment, the team is going to get better. It already has following the five new arrivals in January. And even more new recruits will hopefully sign on the dotted line this summer.
That will allow to club to continue improving, and in turn can help Saint-Maximin kick on.
The most important thing is that the 25-year-old starts doing his talking on the pitch. He’s going through a tough spell at the moment, struggling to find the form he showed at the start of the season.
Wor Flags gave their support to Maxi with an incredible display before the Crystal Palace game. He’s a fan favourite at St James’ Park – fans want to see him get on the ball and make things happen.
With three games remaining, Saint-Maximin needs to put this fiasco behind him and make sure people are talking about his ability on the pitch instead of what he has said off it.
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