As Anthony Gordon prepares to take centre stage in a World Cup quarter-final, Everton FC correspondent Joe Thomas reflects on his time at Everton and what has happened since.
Gordon's Premier League Debut Under Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti gave Gordon his Premier League debut against West Ham United in 2020 and started him later that year in a Merseyside derby. Paul Clement, Ancelotti's assistant at Brazil, also nurtured Gordon during his emergence under Frank Lampard at Goodison Park.
Ancelotti and Lampard both saw potential in the youngster from Kirkdale. Skinny but lightning quick, his only obstacle was his own confidence, which ebbed and flowed between his first senior appearance at age 16 in a Europa League game in Cyprus and his breakthrough under Ancelotti.
Mentors at Finch Farm
Gordon was lucky in his mentors at Everton's Finch Farm training ground, with Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines keen to help him progress. They helped him understand the demands of a modern footballer and shaped a player whose commitment was never in question.
Brazil may have crumbled against Norway, preventing a poignant Everton-related reunion. England will next attempt to stop Erling Haaland, thanks largely to Gordon and Jordan Pickford, who has saved penalties from both for the Blues.
Intensity and Curiosity
The attribute that stood out in Gordon's stunning performance against Mexico was his intensity. Neither the atmosphere, occasion nor altitude slowed him down at the Azteca. That drive was consistent with his development as a player, both physically and psychologically.
As he rose through the academy ranks, those around him noted his intensity most. He was intensely curious about the world and always wanted answers. After Ancelotti gave him his debut, he picked up Dr Steve Peters' book The Chimp Paradox on mind management. When left out of the first team squad at the start of the following season, he sought Ancelotti directly to understand why, something the former Real Madrid boss loved.
Breakout Under Lampard
Gordon was told he represented the future of Everton, though he ended the campaign on loan to Preston to taste regular senior football. That grounding came in handy the following year when, after a torrid run under Rafa Benitez, Gordon became one of the breakout heroes of Everton's miraculous escape from relegation under Lampard.
In a side decimated by injuries, his ability to burst from his own box to carry the ball into opposition territory and win pressure-relieving fouls was crucial. His goal against Manchester United, the winner in a home game with Everton's fate in the balance, was a crowning moment for a local hero who, at 21, was becoming a talisman.
Acrimonious Departure
Lampard, who guided the emergence of starlets like Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham, loved Gordon and fought to keep him. Chelsea led the way, and Gordon produced a stunning goal at Brentford to whet appetites at Stamford Bridge. Everton staved off that interest, but the season soon descended into chaos.
After a miserable week of three defeats, Lampard was under pressure. The club was engulfed in chaos on and off the pitch, and Gordon left in acrimonious circumstances. His transfer request went down badly with supporters, while the club made their disappointment clear with a terse, 59-word statement that included no wishes of good luck for a player who had been with them since age 11.
That hurt Gordon, who believed he deserved credit for his efforts to help save the club from relegation. Neither the transfer request nor his final act in an Everton shirt—a silly push to concede the free-kick from which James Ward-Prowse scored Southampton's winner—helped his reputation among supporters.
Financial Necessity
The circumstances were more complex than they appeared. The extent of Everton's financial problems were yet to come to light, and the club really needed the £40m Newcastle United initially spent on him, a point not acknowledged in their short exit statement.
Gordon's antics since—celebrating as the Magpies condemned relegation-threatened Blues to a miserable Goodison Park defeat and his willingness to step up for a spot kick in front of the Gwladys Street crowd—have done little to inspire bridge-building.
Positive Memories
As a journalist, Joe Thomas saw Gordon in situations others have not. He watched from Washington DC to Sydney as Gordon was one of the last to leave fan events, patiently ensuring every fan who wanted a signature or selfie could get it. He was at Everton in the Community's food pantry when Gordon arrived with seven trolleys-worth of food he had picked out at Asda in Bootle and helped distribute it.
After the humiliation to Adrian Heath's Minnesota United under Lampard, when the lights in the stadium were turned off on Thomas as he waited for an interview, it was Gordon who chose to help. He told supporters how he took accountability for that night.
Everton's Academy Pride
Whatever supporters may think of Gordon, his rise is testimony to Finch Farm and an academy that has repeatedly developed some of the brightest talents in the world. The academy has suffered due to financial crises, but there have still been highlights—Harrison Armstrong is an exciting prospect.
The past few years have been dominated by the rise of Lamine Yamal. Next season, one of La Masia's most recent superstars will line up in the same attack as a player who did his learning at Finch Farm. They could yet face each other in the World Cup final.
That is something Everton can be proud of. And even if that means separating the success from the emotion of the relationship with Gordon, it should be a source of pride. From a purely pragmatic perspective, his rise has brought in valuable sums. The £40m prevented Everton's second points deduction from being far worse. The £3.5m windfall that followed his move to Barcelona this summer could end up being the money that supports the rise of another Finch Farm starlet.
