TFrankly, this is the only place to start when talking about Anthony Gordon, and not just because he was given training wheels as a gift when he walked out to address the media – a reference to his much-talked-about and laughed-about cycling accident during England’s recovery day on Wednesday.
It’s hard to ignore the cuts and scrapes, particularly the bright red one in the middle of his chin. The Newcastle winger has some on his nose and arms, but also some here and there on his hands. If anyone tries to shake his hand, he shrinks back and pulls away. This is hardly an indication that he’ll be in fighting shape for Sunday’s last-16 match against Slovakia. But that would be a mistake. He says he’s totally fine. So what on earth happened?
Gordon’s story is that the day after the 0-0 draw with Slovenia – where he made his first appearance in the tournament as an 89th-minute substitute – he was cycling on the golf course at the team’s home ground in Blankenhain, trying to take a video on his phone for his family. He was riding downhill on his electric bike, which is much faster than the British ones, but he couldn’t figure out which brake to use and found himself on a gravel road.
“The bike not only slowed down, it came to a complete stop… but I didn’t stop,” Gordon says, “I was launched 10 feet into the air by my chin. I rode it through and had to get back to the campsite and get medicated, which was really painful. That was the worst part. To be fair, no one was watching and no one pressed the record button, so there was a positive. The moral of this story is we spend so much time on our phones, just enjoy the moment without your phone.”
Gareth Southgate also had a sympathetic reaction. “He laughed,” Gordon says. “Like everyone else. It was no big deal. I was going down the hill so fast I could have hurt myself and it could have fallen anywhere. It was a golf course and I landed on some gravel. So I was really lucky in some ways and really unlucky in others.” Full marks to Gordon for admitting his mistake and for making the pledge. Will he ride again next time? “Of course I’ll ride again,” he says. “I don’t mind.”
Gordon is a man who never flinches. Whenever he faces setbacks, big or small, he always bounces back quickly by following his own visualization and meditation-heavy process, which he outlines in motivational books like Tim Glover’s Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness.
Gordon also has a couple of other books in his collection: “The Art of Winning: Ten Lessons in Leadership, Purpose and Potential” by New Zealand rugby great Dan Carter and “Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within” by former Navy SEAL and ultramarathon runner David Goggins.
Gordon is deeply involved in the psychological aspects of performance. He pays close attention to his preparation and routine, which he believes strengthens his naturally strong confidence, which he attributes to growing up in Liverpool. He also practices breathing exercises during matches.
One of Glover’s quotes is that it all starts with doubt. “Everyone doubts themselves at first, naturally,” Gordon says, “but it’s important to recognise it, to realise that you’re at war in your head and that it’s not real. You’re good enough to do anything. I have no doubts about playing football. It’s more off the pitch, before you go on the pitch, where the doubts creep in… before the game, the nerves, the excitement.”
“Anyone who says it doesn’t happen is a liar, but the players are aware that they feel that way and they can change it during the game.”
“There have been many times in my career when I had doubts. I went on loan to Preston and barely played. There were many times at Everton when I just couldn’t break through. My start at Newcastle wasn’t the greatest. But that’s the key part of being a good athlete – the tenacity, how you bounce back.”
“Pressure is a privilege,” added the 23-year-old. “I’ve said that many times when speaking to my staff. [negative] The media that surrounds the team. There’s this quote in a Dan Carter book that I’m reading, and it’s been stuck in my head: People expect something from you, which is that they think you’re good at what you do.”
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Gordon is there because his confidence and ability combined to produce an impressive 11 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League last season, and although he only made his England debut against Brazil in March, some are arguing he should start against Slovakia.
Gordon’s pace, directness, threat from behind, aggression and unpredictability will make things happen. After suffering an ankle injury in the penultimate league game of the season against Manchester United, Gordon started England’s final warm-up match against Iceland “feeling a bit down and tired”. But not now. “I’m feeling good,” Gordon said. “I’ve felt great in training since the Iceland game.
“I couldn’t have done better in the last two weeks. I feel great, my training is going well. I run a lot in the training matches so I’m not losing any fitness at all.”
“Frustration is the wrong word. [about hardly playing so far]”I just want to perform on the biggest stage. That’s my personality and my mindset. It comes from my confidence. I feel like I can have a positive impact in every match.”
After struggling in the group stage, England will be hoping to bounce back against Slovakia and reach the quarter-finals and spark a tournament surge. “We just have to come together and perform when the pressure is on,” Gordon said. “There’s no ‘next game, next game’ anymore. Now we’ve got to step up and perform at our best as a team. As players we have to take responsibility and accountability and manage the pressure well.”
Did Gordon envision scoring a crucial goal? He admitted he envisioned a celebration: “We’d put an stabiliser on the side of the pitch and we’d all [in the media] “I’ll get the credit for the celebration. I’ll do it. I promise.”
