Former Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez has revealed the training ground decision that helped transformed Anthony Gordon into an England international.
The former Magpies boss, who left St James’ Park in 2019, coached Gordon during his spell at Everton from 2021-22. It was under the Spanish coach that the Toffees’ academy graduate nailed down his spot in the starting XI.
The winger went on to leave Goodison Park in January 2023 after Eddie Howe came knocking for his services. The transfer was around £45million, but has proven to be great value with Gordon helping establish Newcastle as challengers for Europe, as well as winning international honours with England.
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of Newcastle United’s clash with Liverpool, Benitez said: “He’s a nice lad and a good professional. We discovered he had some issues with his stamina. Then we worked on that.
“At this time he could make the sprints but he couldn’t recover properly. We started working with him and I remember he had to go with the Under-21s. As soon as he improved that, he was going with the national team.”
Gordon has completed the second most sprints in the Premier League ahead of the clash at Anfield, but if he hadn’t improved on the training ground, he wouldn’t have hit the heights he has at St. James’ Park.
“The point that he was very fast, but he couldn’t recover,” Benitez added. “We started working on his stamina without losing his pace, that is the main thing.
“I will tell you again, I remember speaking with the people at Everton, they told me ‘you never know’ and he has been improving his workrate all these years and it’s getting better and better.”
“That’s only natural isn’t it?” fellow pundit Steve McManaman said. “He’s getting better as a footballer, he’s more experienced, he’s getting older and a bit wiser. His delivery and final ball now is excellent.
“He was excellent at the weekend against Nottingham Forest and he just needs to keep that consistency level. Like most players, that’s what separates you from being an average player, a good player and a brilliant player is consistency.
“If he can be an eight or nine out of ten every week – superstar.”
“And let me tell you,” Rafa added. “We had a game at the end of training, a finishing drill and he was always first or second with Richarlison, so he’s a great finisher too.”
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