Following Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Chelsea, Anthony Gordon addressed the recent criticism regarding his “mental toughness” after he was benched for the Barcelona fixture due to illness.
Here is a draft of the statement he made during his post-match interview:
Anthony Gordon: “I’m a Winner, Not a Passenger”
Speaking to the media at Stamford Bridge, Anthony Gordon didn’t shy away from the comments made by Alan Shearer and Roy Keane earlier in the week.
”I’ve heard the noise, and to be honest, it’s disappointing when people who haven’t been in the dressing room start questioning your commitment,” Gordon said. “I’m a winner; I want to play every single minute of every single game, especially one as big as Barcelona. But the manager and the medical team made a call for my health and for the team.
To hear legends of the game suggest I was ‘opting out’ or lacked the mental strength to push through is tough, but I think my performance today answers those questions. I’m here to give everything for this club, and I think I showed that on the pitch today. You don’t get through 90 minutes at this intensity if you aren’t mentally prepared to suffer for the win.”