Anthony Gordon: ‘Very aggressive’ Everton environment made Newcastle teammates hate me
Anthony Gordon claims the “very aggressive” environment he was in at Everton contributed to the perception people have of him.
The Newcastle winger told Mail+ on 8 March that he doesn’t blame anyone for seeing him as a “Scouse scally” but insists that isn’t how he is personally.
The 23-year-old left Goodison for St. James’ Park in January last season in a move worth up to £45million [Sky Sports], and admits his new teammates “hated” him when he arrived off the back of the reputation he had gained playing for the Toffees.
Gordon said: “I understand the Scouse scally perception but, away from football, I’m not like that at all.
“Everyone who meets me says, “I thought you were gonna be a….” I won’t say the word, it’s not a good one. But if they leave with a better opinion, that makes me happy. To be honest, the lads here hated me before I joined!
“But the way I have played, at times, can villainise me. I’m fine with that, because I’m just trying to win. That is why I can’t really blame people for having that perception.
“The environment I was in at Everton, that Scouse environment, it’s very aggressive. When teams came to Goodison, I felt a responsibility to be the antagonist.
“I have more security in myself now, I have grown into who I want to be. I’m more focused on changing that perception because I feel I’m in a place to do so.”
Everton role causes misconceptions of Newcastle attacker
Plenty of players are nothing like how that come across on the pitch so it would be little surprise for Gordon to be totally different in his private life.
Everton have had their backs forced against the wall for most of the past three seasons, so for the brief period where it looked like the academy product might develop into the club’s talisman for the long-term he was obliged to show fight as a younger player that he might not have had to elsewhere.
Things ultimately went sour on Merseyside and he left for the North East in another big money deal that deprived the incoming Sean Dyche of the opportunity to work with him.
Despite his sale coming within months of the £60m exit of Richarlison to Tottenham [Sky Sports] the Toffees have still found themselves hit by back-to-back profit and sustainability referrals, the first of which has resulted in a points deduction of six after appeal.
The Gordon story at Everton has plenty of ‘what if?’ elements to it, but both sides have since moved on even if he says his reputation is still the one he had at Goodison Park.
In other Everton news, Josh Wander spotted in talks with EFL club chief as takeover wait goes on.
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