Q&A with Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
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Eddie, fantastic to see you - fantastic to meet you today… i asked you in the press conference about how you felt when you walked into SJP for the first time as head coach - now you’ve been on the pitch, walked up the tunnel - what are your emotions now?
Eddie Howe (EH): that i need to try and get this interview done in the best way possible!? And that I’m enjoying talking to you! no, everything’s just going so quickly at the moment - new experiences all the time. I’ve really enjoyed today - meeting all the media guys, those sorts of experiences and walking on the pitch was a brilliant experience and one I’ll probably never forget. So it’s been a whirlwind couple of days - non-stop decision making, training… trying to get everything as we want it!
Just talk us through what’s going through your mind as you walk down the famous tunnel, onto the pitch as the new head coach?
EH: I’ll give you a little glimpse into what i was thinking! i was actually genuinely thinking about previous managers who made the same walk. so i was thinking of all the famous Newcastle managers - sir bobby Robson, Kevin Keegan… following in their footsteps. that’s some feeling.
I know you mentioned how crazy the last couple of days have been, but what has it been like for you as more of a coaching manager to get back onto the training ground again?
EH: Yeah I’ve really enjoyed it! you can tell I’m a little bit hoarse - a voice adjusts to how much we’re using it, so to go from not using it in a forceful way to shouting and barking instructions as i do, i thought I’d lost it! so I’m thankful that i can speak to you in a slightly coherent way. But I’ve enjoyed the training ground. it’s my passion - my love - that's what I’m in this job for - to try and improve players, produce a way of playing that i want to see, the supporters want to see, the players enjoy playing… so I’ve loved the two days.
The owners, especially Amanda were seemingly so effusive about how you interviewed - what did you outline to them in those interviews?
EH: I was just myself to be honest! whenever i go into those type of situations, the best thing is to be yourself, to be open and explain what you’ll do - and that’s what i did! Now I have to back that up, deliver the work. But I’m in a position of confidence because I’ve done the work before, I believe I know what I’m doing on the training pitch so i just outlined me - how i work, my principles and values and it seemed to be well received!
Amanda said in the statement when you were announced that you were a, ‘great fit for what we’re trying to build’ what are they trying to build?
EH: i think they have a real long term vision of what they want to do with the club - that’s obviously reflected in the league position and lots of targets beyond that. Why I’m a good fit… because on the training ground I will work the players, I’ll try and seek improvements in them, break down lots of different things to try and get the extra 1% out of the players. And i think it’s that that fits their culture - it’s a hands-on approach and that’s ultimately what i do - they want that and hopefully it works well!
Newcastle the richest club in the world - but off to the worst start in the club’s history… how much are you relishing the pressure, this goldfish bowl situation that you’re in?
EH: I don’t think you can look at pressure that way. Of course, pressure exists - managers under pressure are well documented - but looking at it as in relishing the pressure… I relish coaching the players, the opportunities to manage the team. With that will come responsibility and expectation to get results but you can’t control them. You can only control the processes and that’s what I’m going to put all my energy into trying to do.
The million-dollar question then - how do you turn around the form of a side that’s winless in 11 and has got off to such a bad start?
EH: Well i think first you have to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the team - play to your strengths, minimise your weaknesses, try and get the most out of what we already have. Building confidence too - that’s a massive thing with the players - they’re some good players here, but maybe are low on confidence. I think all these things mixed together - there’s never one solution to a problem. when you take over a football team, there’s a host of things you need to swing your way.
And one of those solutions I imagine is trying to recreate the partnership you had between Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser at Bournemouth - how are you going to go about doing that?
EH: They obviously had a very good relationship at Bournemouth because over time, the work we were doing on the training pitch - those relationships don’t just happen! Callum and Ryan would never have played in the manner they did together if we hadn’t worked and worked and worked and rehearsed so many things and that's the same with all the players. You might find that there’s a combination within the squad that just clicks and works after what we do with them. Hopefully that makes sense but they know each other, they know what runs each other is going to make - it worked then, let’s see if it works now!
Lots being made of the poor defensive record down at Bournemouth - how are you planning on foxing the defensive record at Newcastle this season?
EH: Yeah I mean… we have a style of play - at Bournemouth it was very front foot, very attack-orientated… We knew there’d be risk and reward and our main focus was on whether we could outscore the opposition. we were very brave and I’m not shy to say that’s how we did it - and it worked for a long period of time! It was good and it was successful for us. As I said, that’s the style of football I like, I enjoy watching and I want to enjoy watching this team play! I want to get the same buzz as the supporters do. So we’ll be working to deliver that, but there is a care from a defensive perspective. It’s not that we won’t do the work, we’ll do the work! and we’ve started already - and we expect to see an improvement!
And those supporters… some of them hanging around for 12 hours or so to meet you! how important for you is that connection between club and community for a united club that you’re trying to achieve?
EH: It’s absolutely crucial - it really is. i know the club is at the heart of the town and the club has so much power to do so many good things for so many people locally. We will embrace that and we will try and really buy into everything the club stands for and the values it has. and we’ll try and help people. We’ll try and make the supporters feel part of the club - it’s crucial. We had a really good reputation for this at the former club in terms of doing certain things that included the supporters in what we do.
I know the focus is on the here and now -but has your mind wandered to a week on Saturday v Brantford – 52 000 Geordies here - have you imagined what that is going to be like for you?
EH: It's flicked! It’s flicked to it and then it’s flicked back! You think about it and think it’s going to be some experience, but then it flicks back to what you can control at this moment. I think I’m good at putting things away and focusing on the immediate task at hand which is speaking to you guys. Then after that, I’ll see what’s next!
And just finally, combining all of the fans, the finance, everything here at the club - how powerful a force can this club be in world football?
EH: I think it will be a huge force in world football - the question is, how long will it take. there’s big responsibility on us to do our part, do our bit and help the long-term future of the football club and that’s what i want to do. But i also want to make the same point i made earlier - we have to take the pressure off the players currently. No finance will help the team now. the only thing that will help them now is good work being done and the supporters getting behind them.
Eddie Howe (EH): that i need to try and get this interview done in the best way possible!? And that I’m enjoying talking to you! no, everything’s just going so quickly at the moment - new experiences all the time. I’ve really enjoyed today - meeting all the media guys, those sorts of experiences and walking on the pitch was a brilliant experience and one I’ll probably never forget. So it’s been a whirlwind couple of days - non-stop decision making, training… trying to get everything as we want it!
Just talk us through what’s going through your mind as you walk down the famous tunnel, onto the pitch as the new head coach?
EH: I’ll give you a little glimpse into what i was thinking! i was actually genuinely thinking about previous managers who made the same walk. so i was thinking of all the famous Newcastle managers - sir bobby Robson, Kevin Keegan… following in their footsteps. that’s some feeling.
I know you mentioned how crazy the last couple of days have been, but what has it been like for you as more of a coaching manager to get back onto the training ground again?
EH: Yeah I’ve really enjoyed it! you can tell I’m a little bit hoarse - a voice adjusts to how much we’re using it, so to go from not using it in a forceful way to shouting and barking instructions as i do, i thought I’d lost it! so I’m thankful that i can speak to you in a slightly coherent way. But I’ve enjoyed the training ground. it’s my passion - my love - that's what I’m in this job for - to try and improve players, produce a way of playing that i want to see, the supporters want to see, the players enjoy playing… so I’ve loved the two days.
The owners, especially Amanda were seemingly so effusive about how you interviewed - what did you outline to them in those interviews?
EH: I was just myself to be honest! whenever i go into those type of situations, the best thing is to be yourself, to be open and explain what you’ll do - and that’s what i did! Now I have to back that up, deliver the work. But I’m in a position of confidence because I’ve done the work before, I believe I know what I’m doing on the training pitch so i just outlined me - how i work, my principles and values and it seemed to be well received!
Amanda said in the statement when you were announced that you were a, ‘great fit for what we’re trying to build’ what are they trying to build?
EH: i think they have a real long term vision of what they want to do with the club - that’s obviously reflected in the league position and lots of targets beyond that. Why I’m a good fit… because on the training ground I will work the players, I’ll try and seek improvements in them, break down lots of different things to try and get the extra 1% out of the players. And i think it’s that that fits their culture - it’s a hands-on approach and that’s ultimately what i do - they want that and hopefully it works well!
Newcastle the richest club in the world - but off to the worst start in the club’s history… how much are you relishing the pressure, this goldfish bowl situation that you’re in?
EH: I don’t think you can look at pressure that way. Of course, pressure exists - managers under pressure are well documented - but looking at it as in relishing the pressure… I relish coaching the players, the opportunities to manage the team. With that will come responsibility and expectation to get results but you can’t control them. You can only control the processes and that’s what I’m going to put all my energy into trying to do.
The million-dollar question then - how do you turn around the form of a side that’s winless in 11 and has got off to such a bad start?
EH: Well i think first you have to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the team - play to your strengths, minimise your weaknesses, try and get the most out of what we already have. Building confidence too - that’s a massive thing with the players - they’re some good players here, but maybe are low on confidence. I think all these things mixed together - there’s never one solution to a problem. when you take over a football team, there’s a host of things you need to swing your way.
And one of those solutions I imagine is trying to recreate the partnership you had between Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser at Bournemouth - how are you going to go about doing that?
EH: They obviously had a very good relationship at Bournemouth because over time, the work we were doing on the training pitch - those relationships don’t just happen! Callum and Ryan would never have played in the manner they did together if we hadn’t worked and worked and worked and rehearsed so many things and that's the same with all the players. You might find that there’s a combination within the squad that just clicks and works after what we do with them. Hopefully that makes sense but they know each other, they know what runs each other is going to make - it worked then, let’s see if it works now!
Lots being made of the poor defensive record down at Bournemouth - how are you planning on foxing the defensive record at Newcastle this season?
EH: Yeah I mean… we have a style of play - at Bournemouth it was very front foot, very attack-orientated… We knew there’d be risk and reward and our main focus was on whether we could outscore the opposition. we were very brave and I’m not shy to say that’s how we did it - and it worked for a long period of time! It was good and it was successful for us. As I said, that’s the style of football I like, I enjoy watching and I want to enjoy watching this team play! I want to get the same buzz as the supporters do. So we’ll be working to deliver that, but there is a care from a defensive perspective. It’s not that we won’t do the work, we’ll do the work! and we’ve started already - and we expect to see an improvement!
And those supporters… some of them hanging around for 12 hours or so to meet you! how important for you is that connection between club and community for a united club that you’re trying to achieve?
EH: It’s absolutely crucial - it really is. i know the club is at the heart of the town and the club has so much power to do so many good things for so many people locally. We will embrace that and we will try and really buy into everything the club stands for and the values it has. and we’ll try and help people. We’ll try and make the supporters feel part of the club - it’s crucial. We had a really good reputation for this at the former club in terms of doing certain things that included the supporters in what we do.
I know the focus is on the here and now -but has your mind wandered to a week on Saturday v Brantford – 52 000 Geordies here - have you imagined what that is going to be like for you?
EH: It's flicked! It’s flicked to it and then it’s flicked back! You think about it and think it’s going to be some experience, but then it flicks back to what you can control at this moment. I think I’m good at putting things away and focusing on the immediate task at hand which is speaking to you guys. Then after that, I’ll see what’s next!
And just finally, combining all of the fans, the finance, everything here at the club - how powerful a force can this club be in world football?
EH: I think it will be a huge force in world football - the question is, how long will it take. there’s big responsibility on us to do our part, do our bit and help the long-term future of the football club and that’s what i want to do. But i also want to make the same point i made earlier - we have to take the pressure off the players currently. No finance will help the team now. the only thing that will help them now is good work being done and the supporters getting behind them.
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