Eddie Howe confirms he wants PIF to take action at Newcastle United now, ‘it’s really important’

Add as preferred source on Google

Eddie Howe wants help at Newcastle United but has insisted owners PIF have to make the right decisions at executive level. 

Newcastle United are surely one of very few clubs looking to challenge at elite level who operate without a sporting director, or a long-term CEO. 

Darren Eales is Newcastle’s current CEO but is sadly stepping down from his position on health grounds.

PIF’s decision-making behind the scenes has been painfully slow. Clearly, it’s difficult to know how much a long-term leadership void behind the scenes is impacting Newcastle during this dreadful summer transfer window, but it cannot help. 

Howe wants the Newcastle United owners to fill those positions, though has admitted it’s a process that cannot be rushed. 

• READ MORE: ‘Word has spread’ about PIF’s project at Newcastle United, it explains everything

Eddie Howe wants Newcastle United to appoint a sporting director and a CEO

Speaking while away on the club’s pre-season tour of Asia, the Newcastle United manager urged the club into action. 

While Howe accepts due diligence needs to be undertaken, he does believe appointments should be made “as quickly as possible”.

“It’s really important we fill those positions as quickly as possible, but also with the best people possible,” he said (via The Chronicle). 

“Again, I would probably urge the club to make the right decision over speed, because the long term is the most important for Newcastle.

“We are working effectively, albeit in a very different way. We’ve got people who are very actively involved at board level filling those gaps. So I don’t think we’re necessarily harmed by what is going on, it’s just the window and the transfer market itself is the problem, not workings behind the scenes.”

Who Newcastle United could appoint as CEO and sporting director

Newcastle are expected to offer the sporting director job to Ross Wilson, who would have to leave Nottingham Forest to move to St James’ Park. 

That feels positive. Wilson made some brilliant signings at Forest and is understood to have been on Newcastle’s radar for a while. 

David Hopkinson could become Newcastle’s new CEO, having previously worked as the Global Head of Partnerships at Real Madrid. 

Some action behind the scenes would come as a welcome relief.

It may not strengthen the Newcastle United squad, and it would be unwise to pontificate on how good Hopkinson could be as a CEO, but it would at least suggest PIF have their project back on track.