Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on transfers, relegation battle and return to the dugout | Football News

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe says his players’ mentality and out-of-possession play is key to avoiding relegation this season, labels Bruno Guimaraes “an outstanding talent” and suggests Allan Saint-Maximin can become even better.

“There’s a really good feeling within the group, everyone is fighting for the same cause,” says Howe in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports. “As long as we maintain that, then we’ve got a really good chance [to avoid relegation].

“I never like to predict outcomes, or what’s going to happen, all I like to do is concentrate on producing the right mentality and way of playing within the group every game. We want to see the core fundamentals of what we believe, and I think we’ve seen that in the last few games.”

Howe is convinced positive momentum is building after the Magpies crept out of the relegation zone for the first time after a completed matchday in nearly five months with a 3-1 win over Everton on Tuesday, having beaten Leeds 1-0 going into the international break.

“The togetherness, the team’s performances in those two games [stood out]. You go to Leeds, you know it’s a really difficult place to play. The atmosphere was electric, the players responded to that really, really well. They really fought for each other, and it was the same against Everton.

“[We want to play] exciting football, yes, but we want to produce a team that can do every aspect of the game: defend and be resilient, but can also attack and score goals, and excite everyone and play the type of football everyone wants to see – so that’s what we’re trying to build towards.”

Return to dugout for new era

There was a frenzy of excitement and even front-page splashes when Newcastle announced Mike Ashley had sold the club to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund after years of gloom, which morphed into a media frenzy when the new owners’ mind-boggling wealth was revealed.

The club severed ties with manager Steve Bruce two weeks after the takeover, amid growing unrest among fans over the team’s negative style of play – which compounded their rock-bottom standing in the table. Howe was appointed as the successor three weeks later.

“[The role and new club wealth] wasn’t daunting,” reveals Howe. “It’s a very exciting challenge for me. I wouldn’t have returned to management for any job.

“I wasn’t in that place in my life, I wanted to take on something inspiring and caught me, and Newcastle immediately grabbed me, and I don’t look at it as daunting in any way, I look at it the other way and see the positives.

“It’s a very difficult challenge, coming in where the team was, and everything we faced and the expectation with the money and everything that brings delivers difficult moments but I’m so pleased to be here.

“I’m loving every second of the job and the challenge we face. It’s going to be very difficult between now and the end of the season. Nothing has been achieved yet, we’re still very much in the early stages together.

Yet, Howe’s appointment raised eyebrows in some quarters: a humble manager, renown for his achievement of sustaining Bournemouth’s top-flight status for five years before stepping down after the club was relegated in 2020. Hardly blockbuster?

Well, Howe lifted Bournemouth from League Two to the Premier League across two spells, and achieved that feat in breakneck speed – winning three promotions in just five years. The Newcastle roadmap plots a similar leap – but on another scale.

So did the Newcastle hierarchy turn to Howe for his history of development or track record for maintaining top-flight status for so many years?

“To be honest, I don’t know. That’s not a question for me to answer! I like to develop players, coach, really go into detail with each individual’s career and try to get the best out of them and produce a winning team around all of that, so that’s my simplified philosophy of management and I’ve been employed to that job here and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Style shift

Despite the glamour and endeavour that engulfed the club following the takeover, Howe was fully aware the immediate challenge was to secure survival, inheriting a side sat rock-bottom and languishing in all areas of the pitch.

All key areas have seen marked improvements since Howe took charge in late November, with notable spikes for shots on target, reclaiming possession and achieving more forays into opposition territory.

“[On the pitch], I’d say we’ve worked incredibly hard on our defensive shape and our out-of-possession play has taken priority over everything. I think if you have a firm foundation to the team, you can then build other aspects on that.

“That’s taken our main body of work but we have tried to mould our philosophy into every aspect of the team, so that’s in possession, too, like set plays, but we’re very early in that work – some things take longer to come out than others.”

Indeed, the graphic below clearly shows how the Magpies have tightened up, with far greater concentrations of solidity across the pitch – being notably harder to play through in the opposition half.

New recruits

Newcastle once again dominated the headlines in January for spending more than any other club in the world during the transfer window, splashing £93m on Guimaraes (£40m), Chris Wood (£25m), Kieran Trippier (£15m) and Dan Burn (£13m) – in addition to signing Matt Targett on loan from Aston Villa.

“We were happy with the window,” says Howe. “Nothing is ever perfect, but we identified players and areas of the team we wanted to strengthen, and I felt coming out of the window we’ve got a stronger squad than when we went into it, so I was really pleased with our business.

“The most important thing is the mentality of the players we brought in, they’re top professionals, very, very good characters and they wanted to come for the right reasons: football and the challenge with our league position.

“That was a really important thing for us, we didn’t want to bring anyone in that destabilised the group or disrupted the excellent spirit we’re building internally. I think we’ve done that.”

Guimaraes was the most expensive acquisition during the window but also, on paper at least, promises to offer considerable midfield mettle and attacking threat, having made his Premier League debut in stoppage-time during the win over Everton.

“He is certainly someone we’re keen to see play,” adds Howe. “He’s an outstanding talent, we’ve seen that in training already and in his very brief cameo the other night. But it will have to be at the right time to introduce him to the starting XI.

“There is a shift – physically. The game against Everton was a really quick, physical game and the end-to-end transitions we saw, I think that would be something slightly different to what he’s used to, but I have no doubts he will acclimatise very quickly and show everyone what a player he is.”

ASM magic

However, the signings fail to dim the spotlight on club talisman Saint-Maximin, who has, quite literally, carried the team forward this season and appears to have hit top form after his breathtaking performance against the Toffees.

“He’s certainly a unique talent. He’s a great lad. I really, really like him as a person and I feel like I’ve built a good relationship with him in a short period of time. As a player, you can’t compare him – he’s unique.

“He’s got the ability to dribble both ways, he does things you can’t coach and his work-rate, energy and intensity have all improved. If he can continue and be consistent with that output, then I think you will see his strengths come to the fore even more.”

Villa clash on Super Sunday

Now hanging on the precipice of survival with 16 games to go, Newcastle host Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa in front of the Sky cameras on Sunday.

Both Howe and Gerrard took charge of their respective sides on November 20 last year and both have produced notable spikes in form during that short period.

But can Newcastle make it three wins out of three? Can Howe’s side maintain the style, intensity and momentum to glean a bigger cushion from the drop zone? Will Saint Maximin shine once again and will Guimaraes land a starting berth?

Watch Newcastle vs Aston Villa live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Sunday; kick-off 2pm

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