Eddie Howe has now explained his decision to take Newcastle United to Dubai for warm weather training during the international break.
Newcastle are coming off the back of two disappointing defeats against Man City and Chelsea and could really do with getting away from the pressure of the media to focus on their final 10 Premier League games.
Speaking after their FA Cup exit, Howe shared that Newcastle were going away to experience a ‘different environment’ and hopefully help to stimulate the players for the end of the season.
Howe hoping to move on from poor Newcastle defeats
It’s been a disappointing campaign for Newcastle who will now see their trophy drought extended for another year after being dumped out of all three cup competitions in the last few months.
After such a positive start with an emphatic win over Aston Villa at St James’ Park and Champions League games to look forward to for the first time in two decades, reality has certainly hit Newcastle hard.
Nobody expected them to get anything against City on Saturday, but still to exit the FA Cup is never a nice feeling and now, sitting mid table in the Premier League, there’s a chance they could be in for a bit of a nothing season.
Howe wants to make sure that doesn’t happen, however, and he is hoping that a trip away to Dubai during the international break will help to deal with the loss and reenergise his Newcastle players for the run in.
On travelling to Dubai, Howe said: “I think in terms of dealing with this game and trying to deal with the emotions of leaving the FA Cup and everything that’s happened. I think having a two week break in between games has actually come at a good time for us.
“The idea of a warm weather training camp is the different environment, something fresh to stimulate the players and hopefully we’re going to come back in a good place and ready to work.”
Newcastle want to emulate last year’s success
Almost exactly a year ago Howe did the very same thing by taking his Newcastle team to Dubai during the international break in March as they made a final push to secure a top four finish.
The Magpies came back from the break ready to fight and returned with an emphatic win against Man United, claiming revenge on their Carabao Cup defeat just a few weeks earlier.
Howe is hoping that this trip will have a similar impact, especially with two key games coming up at home in the race for Europe as they take on West Ham and Everton in the space of just four days before travelling to Fulham at the weekend.
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