‘Rate him so highly’: Kell Watts now raves about Newcastle man after leaving the club on loan

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Newcastle United defender Kell Watts has spoken of the side’s admiration for manager Eddie Howe.

The 23-year-old, who is now on loan at Peterborough United, has taken to an interview with Chronicle Live to share his thoughts on the Magpies.

Speaking about the Toon manager and the effect he has had on the squad, Watts claimed:

“With Eddie you’ve got someone who wants to improve you and wants to improve your game to make you a better player.

“Also, being a good person goes a long way. I think that’s why a lot of the lads, myself included, really do rate him so highly.”

Kell Watts full of praise for Eddie Howe

Looking at this season’s Premier League table compared to this time last year, Howe’s effect on the club is evidently massive.

At Christmas during the 2021/22 campaign, the Magpies were severely struggling. They sat 19^th place with just ten points from their opening 18 games, and they appeared to be huge candidates for relegation. The manager had just been appointed a month-and-a-half earlier, and it was clear to see there was work to be done.

Now, with the World Cup break meaning the table remains the same up until the Christmas period, Newcastle will stay third in the league table. Thus far, the Tyneside outfit have bagged 30 points from their opening 15 games. More impressively, Howe’s side have lost just one game all season. As a result, Newcastle head into the winter period with the joint-best defensive record in the top-flight, alongside league leader’s Arsenal.

As Watts says, Howe’s infectious personality has certainly spread throughout the squad at Darsley Park. The current crop of players appears really close-knit, and that stems from the manager’s positive attitude behind the scenes.

This has made its way to St James’ Park, as the Toon XI continue to fight for one another on the pitch, making them an incredibly hard unit to break up.

Therefore, it’s fair to say Howe’s presence at Newcastle has certainly transformed the club. Now, the only way is up, with Champions League qualification firmly in their sights.