“I’m an absolute nightmare for opponents,” says Gordon ahead of Slovakia showdown

Anthony Gordon, a forward for Newcastle United, spoke candidly with the media at a spirited news conference at England’s training base in Blankenhain. The team is gearing up for a pivotal EURO2024 round match against Slovakia. The 23-year-old, who is renowned for his quickness and perseverance, shared insights about his path, the dynamics of the team, and his own form and goals.

Gordon brought up a recent event that happened during a recovery bike ride with his colleagues to start the session. In an amusing aside, he said, “electric [bikes] are a lot faster than normal bikes – the front brake is on the left hand side and I tried to press the right one to slow down. It was meant to be a recovery bike ride. I was going down the hill and tried to take a picture for my family and before I knew it I was face first into the floor.” and instead of slowing down, it completely stopped, sending me flying ten feet, chin first!

Gordon showed his resiliency and dedication by brushing off the minor injuries and continuing the ride despite the mishap.

Regarding his position on the team, Gordon emphasized the special attributes he provides to England’s starting lineup. “My directness and quickness are my skills. I’m the worst opponent someone could ever have. With confidence, he said, “I think I bring a different element to the team and I’m always trying to put people on the back foot.”

Gordon remarked on the increased level of competitiveness between his time with the U21s and his present experience at EURO2024. “Obviously, there is more competition, so it’s a little different. We haven’t yet encountered a nasty country, really. The biggest difference he saw, he noted, was that every team he faced was excellent in its own right.

In response to the criticism that athletes receive on social media, Gordon adopted a philosophical position. “I genuinely look at things like that positively, so I don’t really care about something like that. If someone is being unkind to you, it’s just because they have high expectations for you. We must perform and offer the public what they want to see if we want that to cease, he stated.

Gordon emphasized the universality of these emotions and the significance of addressing them while discussing how to manage self-doubt. “Doubt is the foundation of everything. Everyone has first self-doubts by nature. The trick, in my opinion, is to acknowledge that and then devise strategies to deal with it. Giving a peek into his thought process, he said, “The best players are those who can be self-aware to know they are feeling that and change it during a game.”

Gordon was competitive and respectful to his clubmate Martin Dubravka, whom he would be facing in the Slovakia match. “I’ve played with him for a year and a half; he’s a top guy.” He’s a great goalkeeper and very essential to Newcastle, so I hope he loses,” he joked.

Gordon concluded by talking about his form right now and his preparation for the game. “I’m really knowledgeable. I got an ankle injury before the Icelandic game, which held me out of action for the final week or two of the season, but I had time off to heal. I’ve felt fantastic while training ever since. I’m training incredibly well and I’m in excellent form. I acquire a lot of fitness from running a lot during training or games,” he said.

Gordon is confident and determined as England prepares to play Slovakia. His distinct skill set and relentless dedication will surely be vital as England looks to move farther in EURO2024.

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