Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has insisted that everyone has “moved on” from Allan Saint-Maximin’s controversial comments about his teammates in a recent interview after resolving the issue internally.
French publication So Foot published an interview with Saint-Maximin which included quotes from the 25-year-old saying he would have more assists if he played with better finishers at the club, prompting Howe to call a team meeting.
But following the 5-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, the Toon's boss revealed that all has been forgiven and left in the past following that meeting, and the Frenchman will not be fined for his actions.
When asked about the outcome of the team meeting that had taken place prior to the game, Howe remained tight-lipped on the situation as he looked to swiftly move on from things. He said : “All good, no problems internally with the squad. We’ve moved on from it.”
However, ahead of the game on Friday, the 44-year-old also said: “I have no concerns over his mood. I don’t think I will be fining him about that situation. It’s more a case of education and making sure players know what we expect of them.”
The Frenchman had approached Howe about the situation after becoming “concerned” over how his comments had been portrayed, which he revealed had been “taken out of context” in a social media post shortly after they came to light.
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In the article that was published by So Foot , Saint-Maximin said: "Those who have played with me know very well that in terms of pure quality, I have nothing to envy to ( Liverpool ’s) Sadio Mane, or to all those great players who play in top clubs. The day I have a player capable of finishing actions, I will make seasons with 10-15 assists, and I will change dimensions in people's heads.”
The Newcastle winger has just four assists to his name this season in 33 Premier League appearances, as the Magpies have scored just 40 goals in 36 matches. The Frenchman has netted five of those, but his team are the eighth lowest scorers in the league.
Nonetheless, both Howe and the Frenchman have been keen to reiterate that the comments did not come across in the way that they were supposed to, and the matter has now been dealt with internally. Luckily for Saint-Maximin, it appears that no further action will be taken.
And Howe further proved that he has settled the situation with the 25-year-old by allowing him to retain his place in the starting lineup for Sunday’s trip to face Pep Guardiola’s side. Despite the heavy defeat, the Magpies boss was keen to praise the Frenchman for his efforts in the game.
He said: “I thought Maxi, second half, saw more of the ball. I thought he was a real counter threat in that second half. He had moments, but, I think, whenever you play Manchester City they’re only sporadic moments for any attacking player, to be honest, because it’s so difficult to get the ball off them.
“I think he would probably have been frustrated, because you want more of the ball, you want more of a chance to impact, but, as a team, it’s difficult to get strong enough possession to see your attacking players really influence the match.”
