Inside Howe’s ‘transformed’ Newcastle as they look to end trophy wait

A 1-1 draw at Brighton on November 6th, 2021, places Newcastle at the bottom of the Premier League and has the unthinkable prospect of a Championship return.

A Saudi-backed consortium that had previously promoted the concept of Champions League football and winning awards had recently taken control of the organization.

Despite the optimism among fans about entering a new era, such thoughts seemed a million miles away.

Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s soon-to-be-appointed manager, was watching on in the stands that day against the Seagulls and is one win away from winning the club’s 70-year-wait for a major trophy.

Howe left Bournemouth after doing a remarkable job there, saving them from being relegated to the Football League and leading them to the Premier League all the way to Newcastle.

After retiring from the club at the age of 29 due to a knee injury, he had previously served as a manager. He had previously served as a coach.

There were two people who hugely influenced the type of manager he wanted to be and would ultimately become – his former Bournemouth boss Sean O’Driscoll and legendary basketball coach John Wooden.

When the former was a player at Bournemouth and the latter was 14 years old and a member of the club’s youth setup, O’Driscoll and Howe first met.

O’Driscoll would accompany the young Howe to training because they were both already living together in the same village.

O’Driscoll would eventually manage Howe, who became impressed with the former Republic of Ireland international’s management style.

According to Howe, “I do believe Sean played a significant role in my management style.”

O’Driscoll’s football philosophy was founded on creativity and possession, while Howe’s man-management style did not shout and criticize players, which can now be attributed to him.

Quotes like “make each day your masterpiece” were displayed on the walls of his Bournemouth office while others were displayed.

They were from Wooden, considered one of basketball’s finest teachers and the other person to have had a significant impact on Howe’s thinking after he came across one of his books early into his management career.

Wooden’s advice to players should not be treated equally, but rather as individuals, with their own issues and concerns, gave Howe inspiration.

Howe began experimenting with his methods at Newcastle right away. His typical workday would start at 6 am, and he’d typically not finish until late in the evening.

Players ‘ days off were reduced while training sessions were brought forward to an earlier time and became more intense.

According to BBC Radio Newcastle’s Matthew Raisbeck, Jonjo Shelvey said that When Howe first arrived, he would be exhausted from the training and would be in bed by 8pm.

“He made the players better, he made the team better, and he made the players better,” he said. “The players were shattered, but he made them fitter.”

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn said that while training was much more intense, he found it enjoyable.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live, “What I find crazy about the gaffer’s training is that we never seem to do the same session twice.”

He has saved so many sessions, and each day brings something completely fresh. I really enjoy training and it’s something I look forward to every day”.

Howe quickly promoted the notion of “us against the world,” according to Burn, which, combined with Newcastle’s rapidly improving form and fitness, contributed to its improvement.

Newcastle, which had been 14 points clear of the relegation zone when Howe arrived, finished 11th in the Premier League.

Utilising the methods of man management he learned from O’Driscoll and Wooden, Howe got to know each and every one of his players – their personalities and what makes them tick.

He “wants to know how you are as a person rather than just a footballer,” Burn told Newcastle’s official website. “First and foremost, he wants to know how you are as a person.

Sean Longstaff, a midfielder, said: “I’m a dad now, and we can talk about advice and stuff.”

” He pulled me in once and gave me a book that he gave to his children. More importantly, it is the part of who is invisible, and why I love him so much.

One of Howe’s best examples of how to maximize a player’s potential is Joelinton.

The Brazilian made his professional debut at Hoffenheim in 2019 and signed for $40 million. He arrived as a striker but his struggles to score led to him, for a while, being considered an expensive flop.

The then striker was moved into midfield by Howe, who had a different perspective. He excelled in the position, receiving praise for his combative actions and deft tackling, and has never looked back since.

” He improved me as a player, not just me but other players that were here before him, “Joelinton said.

He “changed my position,” but his attitude, enthusiasm, and commitment to improvement were all positive.

“He is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had, both personally and professionally.

Newcastle’s improvement under Howe skyrocketed and, in his first full season, he led them to a fourth-place finish and a return to the Champions League.

Howe spent £85 million in his first transfer window in January 2022 to strengthen his squad in their relegation battle, which undoubtedly contributed to that rapid improvement.

However, they weren’t the big-name players some might have anticipated since Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, and Kieran Trippier were also included.

The club’s precarious league position at that time played a part in the sort of players they were able to attract and, after safety was comfortably assured, Newcastle spent £123m on signings in the summer of 2022.

Swedish international Alexander Isak, a club record, was signed for $ 35 million from La Liga side Real Sociedad, while Matt Targett, a 15-million player, and Nick Pope, a $10 million player, also made the club record.

As Newcastle continued to be in the top end of the table, a pre-season training camp in the Austrian Alps would prove crucial in fostering a close bond between the players and the coaching staff, one that would be present throughout the 2022-23 campaign.

After Howe’s first win over Burnley, “They published the first dressing room photo,” Rasbeck continued.

” His explanation for why they did it was that he wanted the players and staff in the future to be able to look back and have memories of what they achieved and remember the highs of these specific games. “

Newcastle fans were especially proud of their return to top-notch European football during the 2022-23 season as well as their first ever cup final at Wembley in almost 20 years.

On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, Howe’s peak of Newcastle’s transformation was scheduled to take place.

A Paris St-Germain team led by Kylian Mbappe was defeated 4-1 at St James’ Park on that night as the first Champions League game ever held there for more than 20 years.

” This was Newcastle United at their best, “Raisbeck said”. It will be forever discussed.

It provided a glimpse of what they were capable of at the time as well as what might become their reality for the rest of their lives.

” Winning a trophy will be a hurdle they have to overcome to get to that top level. “

In the end, they struggled to compete in both the Premier League and Europe, and they also had to deal with an injury crisis that left them with 20 players at times.

There was some concern about Howe being under pressure despite their only winning streak in seven games from December 7 through January 2024 when their performance improved enough to earn them a respectable seventh-place finish.

Inconsistency and injuries have been an issue again this season but Monday night’s win against West Ham has Newcastle firmly in the picture for a top four finish and heading into the Carabao Cup final with some momentum.