EDDIE HOWE HAS FULL BACKING OF NEWCASTLE OWNERS, HERE IS WHY
Eddie Howe retains the full support and backing of the Newcastle United hierarchy as they strongly believe he has the skill set and work ethic to turn their Premier League campaign around.
Sources have told Telegraph Sport that there is a sense of calm determination behind the scenes at St James’ Park and nobody will be swayed by outside noise. Indeed, there is bemusement that anyone would suggest Howe’s job is under threat.
They have pointed to the fact that Newcastle are doing well in the Champions League and are likely to qualify for the knockout rounds of that competition for the first time in the club’s history. They have also reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup for the fourth successive year and the prospect of winning more silverware is a major motivation for everyone.
While there is a collective acceptance that league results have not been good enough, senior figures knew this season was going to be tough and challenging because of the extra demands of Europe and the acrimonious departure of last season’s top goalscorer Alexander Isak.
After four successful years at St James’ Park, Howe will be backed and supported, which may well include new signings in January, if there are players on their list who are available in the winter window.
Potential move for Smit
One player under consideration is AZ Alkmaar’s exciting young talent Kees Smit. The 19-year-old midfielder is on the watch list of every top club in Europe and sources have stressed there will be stiff competition for the £25m-rated teenager, but Newcastle could make a move in January before other clubs are ready to bid in the summer. It is unclear whether Alkmaar would be willing to do a deal that soon.
Newcastle want to bring down the age profile of their squad with several key players moving into the 30s.
There is also a realisation that Newcastle’s difficult start to the season is largely a consequence of a frustrating summer, but the appointment of chief executive David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson, should provide Howe with a proper management structure moving forward.
Newcastle have suffered in particular away from home in the league this season, with last Sunday’s defeat at Brentford extending their winless away run to nine matches.
Although changes are coming after the international break, with Howe focused on improving performance levels, there is an appreciation of the stability the 47-year-old brings as manager.
Newcastle have had tricky periods under Howe before, both in the winter of 2023 when injuries affected their squad and they were knocked out of both the Champions League and the Carabao Cup in a few days in December, and in the autumn of last season when the team dropped to 12th in the table after a 4-2 defeat by Brentford.
On both occasions, Howe got to grips with the problem and found solutions and there is confidence he will do so again.
Following a home game with title-chasing Manchester City after the international break, Newcastle travel to Everton in the Premier League before back-to-back home games against Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur.
Why do Newcastle have such unwavering faith in Howe?
You only have to look at what has happened in the four years with Howe to understand why Newcastle have so much confidence in their manager.
It is not just the fact that Howe saved the club from relegation in his first full season, despite winning only one of his first 10 games in charge, before guiding a new-look team into the Champions League in his second while also reaching the final of the Carabao Cup in 2023.
The board also recognise that, whenever he has been under pressure because of poor results in the past, Howe has rallied the team and form has picked up.
In the winter of 2023, Newcastle lost seven games out of 10 in all competitions, but still finished the campaign in seventh place and were only denied European football by Manchester United’s shock victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Last season, Newcastle enjoyed their most successful campaign for 70 years, winning the Carabao Cup and securing Champions League football for the second time in three years.
But in the autumn, they had won just three games in 10 and were struggling in the league with their big-name players out of form and seemingly distracted by talk of interest from rival clubs.
Both times, Howe was the lighthouse in the storm, leading the team out of the choppy waters. Every time he attracted criticism, Howe blocked out the noise, threw himself into his work and found solutions to problems. It is arguably what he does best and why he has the perfect temperament for an emotional club and city like Newcastle.
Although much has been made of the ambition to be “number one” by chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, there has always been an understanding that progress will not be linear. This has always been a long-term project and the mantra remains “we are in this together”.
Stability, offering support and patience to the manager is viewed as the foundation stone for bringing long-term, sustainable success to the club.
Of course, things can change rapidly in football and if Newcastle are still struggling in the league in the spring, Howe’s position will inevitably come under threat. But there is no appetite for a change in manager and no consideration is being given to one at this stage.
That is the correct stance. Howe has proven himself over a prolonged period. He has earned the trust placed in him. Despite the club’s PSR constraints and the loss of players like Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh last summer, he has always come through these difficult periods before and the team has excelled again.
You also have to consider that it is Hopkinson and Wilson who are in day-to-day control of the running of the club. They were appointed to lead things on the ground and both are steadfast in their support of Howe.
Hopkinson is focused on driving up revenue to raise the club’s spending power, while Wilson was brought in to work in collaboration with Howe to improve the football side of the business.
With an announcement on a new training ground expected later this season – the club have reduced the number of potential sites to two – and confirmation of the plan to build a new stadium also expected in 2026, Newcastle believe they already have the manager in place to ensure the team continues to perform on the pitch
A lot of change is coming, the future promises to be an exciting one, but that does not include any thoughts a change is needed in the dugout.
Wissa caution after seeing Isak injury
There could easily be a temptation to bring Yoane Wissa into the squad for the game against City given the team are struggling to score goals and the DR Congo international has been back in training for several weeks.
However, it is understood Newcastle will not rush anything with their £55m signing as they want to make sure the former Brentford player has had the equivalent of a full pre-season training before he makes his debut.
Wissa was injured on international duty in September and Newcastle have seen how Isak has struggled at Liverpool after going on strike for two months to force his summer move.
With that in mind, they only want Wissa, who also refused to train and play at Brentford in the summer to force his departure to Newcastle, to finally start his career on Tyneside when he is in peak physical condition.
There is a chance he will be on the bench against Everton on November 29 but that could be pushed back to the start of December.
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