I sincerely hope the latest Allan Saint-Maximin comments emerging from France have been lost in translation.
Speaking to So Foot magazine, he’s been quoted saying the following:
“Those who have played alongside me know that when it comes to quality.
“I have no need to be jealous of Sadio Mane.
“The day I get a team-mate who is able to convert the chances I create, I will have 10-15 successful assists every season.
“My aim is to do things that leave a mark on people’s minds, and to change the rules.
“In a similar way to what Michael Jordan has managed to do. He has changed people’s lives.”
That third line hasn’t gone down well with Newcastle fans on social media, with some believing that he is showing a real lack of respect towards his teammates. If true, it’s not even a subtle dig at his fellow NUFC forwards.
Did he really say this? Would he really throw his fellow attackers under the bus like this? It’s been printed and he’s yet to respond to the criticism he’s faced online follow the release of the interview, so we’ll have to wait and see, but for now it is not a good luck.
In his defence, he usually talks up the importance of putting the team first and seems a respectful guy who isn’t the trouble-maker some in France suggested he might be following his arrival from Nice. Howe often praises his attitude and he appears to be one of the most well-liked players around the club.
As for his ability to create chances, there’s been several Toon fans on Twitter questioning if this is even something he’s good at. The Frenchman may be unpredictable and frustrate at times in the final third, yet the stats say that no player outside the ‘big six’ has created more chances from open play than ASM.
So, it’s hard to argue with him in that department, but we really hope this interview didn’t feature what could be taken as a dig at his fellow teammates – especially when recent performances have done little to suggest he is levels above those around him
