Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been a crucial part of the club’s success in recent years, and one former player felt he would be a huge addition.
7 October brings up a notable anniversary for Newcastle United fans.
It’s now four years since PIF completed their takeover of Newcastle and set the club on a new path.
PSR may have been a shadow over PIF’s plans at St James’ Park, but the appointment of Eddie Howe was an early masterstroke.
Matt Ritchie shares what Newcastle United players told him about Eddie Howe
Howe had been out of work for more than a year, having left Bournemouth upon their relegation from the Premier League in 2020.
Some felt that Howe’s stock had taken a significant hit with that relegation, but Newcastle took a chance on him – and it has worked out very well.
Howe has won more than 50% of his games in charge of Newcastle and guided the club to Carabao Cup glory last season.
Matt Ritchie knew all about Howe’s brilliance, having worked together at Bournemouth, and made his feelings clear to the Newcastle squad long before the manager’s arrival.
Ritchie has told BBC Sport that he would rave about Howe when he joined Newcastle under Rafael Benitez.
Newcastle players told Ritchie to ‘drop it’, and couldn’t believe that Howe was as good as the former Scotland international claimed.
Ritchie was adamant that Howe was something special, and he is now delighted that Newcastle have been able to sample his attention to detail over the last four years.
“When I first arrived, I would talk about Eddie Howe and Bournemouth,” said Ritchie.
“The lads would say, ‘come on, drop it, he can’t have been that good’. But I’d tell them there was no stone left unturned. I was so pleased that they got to sample it.
“Until you actually see it and feel it, you don’t truly believe you have never worked like that before. It’s the attention to detail, the preparation and the desire to improve – all the things that make Newcastle what they are now,” he added.
Eddie Howe is moulding a new Newcastle United side
Howe has been an exceptional appointment for Newcastle, and rumours around the England job are bound to appear once again.
Thomas Tuchel is only contracted until after the World Cup next summer, and as the top English manager around, Howe’s name will be mentioned.
Howe is building a new Newcastle side, though, and he certainly doesn’t appear to be thinking in the short term at St James’ Park.
Athleticism has been added across the pitch over the summer, and the likes of Nick Woltemade, Malick Thiaw, Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga should have bright futures at Newcastle.
There is a fresh energy to this Newcastle side, and Howe has done a brilliant job of refocusing the club after the drama around Alexander Isak.
Howe has brought them all to Newcastle and will be keen to oversee their development at St James’ Park in the years to come, rather than thinking about any England move.
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