Anthony Gordon gives fitness update from Batumi ahead of rejoining Newcastle United | OneFootball

Anthony Gordon is having the ideal pre-season preparations ahead of Newcastle United kicking off their 2023/24 campaign.

The versatile attacking player showing for England out at the 2023 Under 21s Euros finals, why Eddie Howe paid £40m (plus £5m potential future add-ons) for him in January.

Anthony Gordon admitted (see below) after last season ended, that the levels of training under Frank Lampard at Everton, hadn’t been anywhere close enough to prepare him for what was expected when playing in a high energy, high tempo, high pressing, Eddie Howe team.

Anthony Gordon saying that these 2023 Under 21s Euros finals were perfectly timed to give him the intensive summer of preparation he needed before rejoining Newcastle United.

England are playing their third and final group game against Germany today in Batumi (Georgia), but along with the other nine first choice outfield players, Anthony Gordon has been given a rest. Ten changes made by Lee Carsley as with two wins England had already qualified top of their group, they play Portugal on Sunday in their semi-final.

Anthony Gordon has impressed playing up front for England, scoring one, getting an assists, plus scoring another ‘goal’ that was only disallowed because of an infringement by another England player.

Ahead of today’s England Under 21 match against Germany, the Newcastle United player now asked about the fitness issues and does he feel like progress is being made with the Premier League now only six weeks away:

“That was based on me not feeling fit enough during games for Newcastle, with the way we play and the way the manger wants us to play, which is so intense.

“I felt like I could use this tournament to really push myself to go back into a really good place.

“I’m still getting tired around 70-75 minutes so I feel like the longer the tournament goes on, I’ll feel better and fitter.”

Anthony Gordon will start for England on Sunday against Portugal, then hopefully have a semi-final next Wednesday and the final on the Saturday (8 July) to help get him in peak condition, ahead of rejoining Newcastle United.

After the 2022/23 season had concluded, Anthony Gordon making a very honest admission AND a big Newcastle United commitment at the end of May:

“I am so happy to get that goal [against Chelsea].

“You could see it in my celebration, as all the emotion came out.

“It has been a really difficult year, not just at Newcastle… it was good to get [that goal].

“It has been so difficult, just because of the level I was at coming in at, the lads here were so much higher.

“I had such an uphill battle to match them and then I had the injury, it always felt like I was chasing, it was hard mentally and physically.

“Now I feel that I have a big summer coming up, so I put myself in a really good position for next season.

“This summer I have got the Under 21 Euros, so physically I am going to be so on it like never before, because out there I am absolutely blowing [when playing for Newcastle United].

“In this [Newcastle] team you have to be so fit.

“The gaffer demands so much from the players, that was something I didn’t expect and didn’t know.

“But I know for next year.

“So I will be on it.”

The full England Under 21 squad for this 2023 European Under-21 Championship:

Josh Griffiths (West Bromwich Albion), Carl Rushworth (Brighton and Hove Albion), James Trafford (Manchester City)

Defenders:

Max Aarons (Norwich City), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Charlie Cresswell (Leeds United), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Manchester City), Ben Johnson (West Ham United), Luke Thomas (Leicester City)

Midfielders:

Tommy Doyle (Manchester City), Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), James Garner (Everton), Angel Gomes (Lille), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa), Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur)

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