Eddie Howe has emphatically stated his commitment to Newcastle following comments from the club’s chief executive which cast doubt on the head coach’s future.
Newcastle go into Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace – which is live on Sky Sports – reeling from nightmare back-to-back defeats to Barcelona and arch-rivals Sunderland which came before the international break.
But after David Hopkinson told the media, “I don’t have a stance on [Howe’s] future” and “we’ll talk about the future when it’s time”, Howe has insisted he is as dedicated to Newcastle as ever.
“For me nothing has changed. I’m absolutely, 100 per cent committed to the job,” said Howe.
“That commitment has never wavered from my side. I’ve been working during the break to make sure we come back a stronger team.
“In this day and age, it’s difficult to look too far in the long term. I can only look to these seven [remaining Premier League] games and make sure we perform at our very best level.”
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Howe was asked if he had sought assurances about his future and gave a blunt response: “I don’t need assurances from anybody. I’ve got to do my work and make sure the team is successful.”
On his relationship with Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson, Howe added: “Certainly there’s been no fallings out. I’ve got a really good relationship with Ross and David. We’re plotting to try and take the club forward in the smartest way possible.
“I’ve had really good support from both of them, who are the key figures I work with day-to-day at the football club. We’re all totally aligned on what we need to do.”
He later said: “Of course we’ve spoken but not about those comments.”
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Howe was also asked what he needs to remain happy and secure in his role. “What do I need? I just need support, good working relationships with people around me, a feeling of being able to express myself in the best way possible so you see the best version of myself. And I think if I feel that and the club feels that then they’re getting the best manager they can from myself.
“Obviously if that’s not working for whatever reason on both sides then it’s best for the football club… the most important thing in all of this is Newcastle United, not me, not anybody else. I’ll always reflect that in my decision making. I’ll put the club before anybody.”
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Hopkinson also addressed the possibility of selling star names this summer – something which may become a requirement if the team fail to qualify for Europe through the Premier League.
Howe says if key players do leave, then the club must manage expectations.
“If that’s the reality – and I’m not saying it is – then that’s the reality. I’ve no issue working with the conditions the club set and finances dictate. I’ve never had an issue with that all through my career,” he said.
“As long as that is made clear to everybody on the outside, and the expectations are aligned within that. Because I don’t think you can have expectations that warp reality. Everything has got to be aligned for the players to enter the pitch and play in their best place, where they’re relaxed and not under undue pressure. That’s fundamentally important.”
Howe believes the overall outlook for Newcastle remains positive but says they will need to be “smart” in the next transfer window to improve.
“The long-term prospects for the football club are really strong but certainly these seasons we’ve experienced previously… not all the forces are with us and we’re going to have to act really smart and try to outperform the budget etc to try to hit the levels everyone wants,” he said.
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