There has been a lot said about the relationship between Paul Mitchell and Eddie Howe since his arrival in the summer.
Following Dan Ashworth’s exit to join Manchester United, Newcastle United moved quickly and appointed Paul Mitchell as sporting director.
Newcastle fans were delighted with Mitchell’s appointment, but he didn’t quite live up to expectations during his first transfer window at the club.
It was an underwhelming summer for Newcastle with Paul Mitchell failing to land any top targets as the Magpies continued to be shackled by Profit and Sustainability Rules.
The fallout from the summer window was perhaps even worse than the window itself.
Tension between Paul Mitchell and Eddie Howe at Newcastle
Mitchell faced plenty of criticism for the lack of business over the summer and he appeared to deflect blame by suggesting that Newcastle’s recruitment was all wrong before his arrival.
He insisted Newcastle’s scouting department was not “fit for purpose”, while Eddie Howe hit back and said he was “proud” of his transfer business at the club.
It caused a huge uproar across the media and Howe and Mitchell held clear the air talks in an attempt to end the tension behind the scenes.
PIF were desperate Howe and Mitchell to get along and it seems their relationship is slowly healing ahead of the January transfer window.
What Paul Mitchell said about his Eddie Howe relationship
Mitchell was in attendance at the We are United fan event on Wednesday and he spoke openly about his relationship with Howe and the media circus that has followed the two Newcastle figureheads.
As quoted by the Chronicle, Mitchell said: “I was enjoying Eddie and Paul watch in September. Day one: Have Eddie and Paul spoken to each other!
“I thought it was quite good commentary. I am not a big social media fan or a media fan in general. But we work closely. It is a natural collaboration; he is the head coach and manager of the club, and I am the sporting director.
“This notion that we are in each other’s pockets and spend every working hour in each other’s company is wrong. Eddie is an elite professional and it would be remiss of me or any sporting director to be looking over his shoulder, to be on the training pitch or to micromanage somebody that is extremely talented at what he does.
“My job is to support him. To collaborate, support, challenge, debate all for the benefit for the football club.
READ MORE: What Paul Mitchell is trying to prove to Eddie Howe after rocky start to Newcastle relationship
“But we have a very talented head coach/manager and our collaboration is as frequent or infrequent as it needs to be. I am fortunate to have been doing this a long time with some really good intelligent coaches as well and Eddie definitely falls into that bracket but I have other responsibilities as well.
“Long, mid and short-term. I have to support Steve at the Academy to grow our next wave of talent to help the first-team and as Darren Eales says also looking at growing and developing players to enhance our revenue streams as well.
“The training model is an important element of the modern game. And support Becky in the women’s game to help the growth of the upward trajectory.
“Unfortunately, not as the myth of the media would like, I can’t hold hands with Eddie as much I’d like to! We had the luxury of being at the boxing together which was nice and we had a great time. But I have other responsibilities which are equally as important.”
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