Former Newcastle United striker Seydou Doumbia has revealed in an interview with the Chronicle that he feels Steve McClaren’s sacking ensured that his Toon career flopped.
Doumbia arrived on Tyneside as a Deadline Day signing on loan from AS Roma at the end of the January 2016 window, as McClaren sought to add more goals to his ailing front line that had only scored 25 times in 23 Premier League games.
Five sides had scored fewer goals than we had managed as the winter transfer window edged into its final hours, but the third-worst defence in the top-flight meant we sat two points away from safety.
McClaren looked very favourably upon Doumbia at the time of his signing, stating: “He is a natural goalscorer, someone who has scored goals in the Champions League and has played at the highest level. We believe he can make a mark in this team.”
However, Doumbia’s career in Black and White would only go on to feature just three appearances in which he played all of 29 minutes, as his name was only listed on the bench thrice and later omitted from the matchday squad on nine occasions.
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Of his appearances, only Doumbia’s three-minute cameo as we lost 1-0 at Leicester City came after McClaren’s sacking, and Mike Ashley’s decision to change the leadership at St. James’ Park is something the 31-year-old feels ensured his time on Tyneside was not a success.
“Because the coach changed quickly, simply because of that,” Doumbia told the Chronicle, when asked why he played so few games for the Magpies.
“It was a pleasure to work with Steve everyday, I got a lot of joy from it but unfortunately he left us quickly.
“Like I say, I was not 100% [fit] when I arrived at Newcastle, and the fact that the coach changed very soon didn’t help me.”