Allan Saint-Maximin remains a fan favourite on Tyneside, but that popularity looks to be on the decline.
Under Steve Bruce, Saint-Maximin looked like the only real player we had other than Callum Wilson. His darting runs and mazy dribbles wowed fans and he’d even pop up with a goal or two. But it’s easy for a talent like him to stand out in a sea of lost souls as the team was back then. Bruce’s training methods, or lack thereof, were well documented, and were the cause of the team’s overall lack of fitness and creativity.
Since Eddie Howe’s arrival we’ve rarely seen the ASM we’ve all come to know and love … or is it a case of everyone around him rising to his level and beyond and therefore showing us the reality? Let’s be honest, his end product has never been amazing and he was always looking to beat just one more man before making a pass, which was usually one too many resulting in a turnover of possession.
His recent comments in the media did little to help his cause either, although he maintains that the interview was lost in translation and taken out of context. However, coming out and basically saying that your current lot of team mates aren’t good enough isn’t going to do you any favours, regardless of context.
Since that car crash interview Maxi has come out and said that he’s excited for the future at Newcastle, hinting that he’s here for the new project, but the big question is …. do we still need him?
Bruno Guimaraes has a much better end product and isn’t afraid to break out a crowd-pleasing trick or two. We are looking at bringing in Lucas Paqueta who would also challenge ASM for his place in the team, and who knows who else may come in?
So with the transfer budget allegedly not as extravagant as we’d maybe hoped, should we use Saint-Maximin as a way to raise extra funds? Let us know in the comments.