Eddie Howe snaps at reporter when asked about speculation regarding Anthony Gordon's Newcastle United future
Eddie Howe wasn't in the mood for silly questions again on Friday morning after being asked about the future of Anthony Gordon amid endless speculation over a move to Liverpool.
By this time last year, Newcastle United fans were already sick of hearing about Liverpool's plans to acquire Alexander Isak from Newcastle in the summer. It was a relentless media campaign that ultimately led to the Reds getting what they wanted.
The Sweden striker's head was turned well before the end of the season, and he pretty much switched off after helping Newcastle lift the Carabao Cup trophy.
A year later, and the same thing is happening with Anthony Gordon, albeit to a lesser extent.
Eddie Howe slammed the media for creating transfer rumours
In his pre-match press conference ahead of the Premier League clash with Everton on Saturday, Howe was asked about how he is trying to prevent a similar situation with Anthony Gordon this year and why he thinks there are persistent rumours about his best players leaving the club.
“You tell me. I was hoping that you'd answer it because it's your industry that's creating those stories. As I said, I am slightly secluded from it to a degree. If you don't read it, you don't know who's being linked with who.
“Isn't it just part of modern-day football that everyone's linked with move these days? Not just Newcastle players, but a lot of other clubs potentially have the same issues. I don't know. I think it's irrelevant really.
“It's how the players take to that. If the players absorb it and it affects them, then of course that's a negative. But I think they will become robust enough to ignore it and concentrate on playing.
“These things only come into focus when windows are open. Or that's for me when the player should be, if at all, thinking about their futures. Because in the meantime, everything they do in between affects their future. All they can do is play at their best level. And that's what I'd encourage them to do.”
Eddie Howe says Anthony Gordon must just focus on what's ahead of him at Newcastle
Howe went on to talk about Anthony Gordon, specifically addressing whether Gordon has reacted to any of the rumours.
“Only if you read it, I suppose,” Howe said on whether Gordon will be affected by the noise. “There's always, in this sort of age that we're at, there's always rumour and speculation. I don't see probably 90 per cent of it. I'm sure the players probably see more than I do. I think it comes to the territory of being a top player and playing at this level that there's going to be speculation.
“You've just got to put it out of your brain and you've got to focus on the football because, as we know with our schedule, there's so many games, there's no time for distractions. We have to be fully focused on each match.
“I'm not sure there's a lot I can do about that. I think I've not seen the story, so it's news to me. But we're mid-season. We're in the middle of some of the biggest games of his career, so he's got no time to look left or right.
“He's got to be fully focused on straight ahead and the next game and trying to be as good as he can be. I've been really impressed with him the last few weeks. He's been in a good place, playing in a central position. He's done really well and we want him to continue that good form.”
Anthony Gordon dismissed the rumours linking him with Liverpool last week
Anthony Gordon had already spoken about the rumours last week, which Howe didn't seem aware of. This is what Gordon said.
“It’s the same old, same old. I haven’t heard anything; they might want to tell me before they tell you (the media). I have gone through enough transfer stuff now to know that it is all a load of rubbish.
“I am focused on me and focused on the team, I am focused on right now. You look too far in the future and you start to underperform. And believe me I have done that (before) and I am not going to do that now.”
