Intensity, team photos & fatherly advice: Inside Howe’s Newcastle

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, watched on in the stands that day against the Seagulls, who had just completed their 70-year quest for a major trophy after 2-1 win over Liverpool at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup.

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 joined the club in 2019, signing for £40m from Hoffenheim. Although he started out as a striker, his struggles to score eventually led to him being viewed as an expensive flop.

The then striker was moved into midfield by Howe, who had a different perspective. He flourished in the position, earning praise for his combative performance and tough tackling, and has not looked back since.

He improved me as a player, not just for myself, but for the other players who came before him, Jones 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, not just as a coach but in general as a man.

Howe led Newcastle to a fourth-place finish and a Champions League return in his first full season, and his improvement under his leadership skyrocketed.

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.

They were not, however, what would be described as the sort of big-name players that some might have expected as in came the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier.

After safety was assured, the club spent £123 million on signings in the summer of 2022 because of the club’s precarious league position at the time.

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.

A pre-season training camp in the Austrian Alps was to prove crucial in fostering a close bond between the players and coaching staff, one that would be evident throughout the 2022-23 season as Newcastle maintained their challenge at the top end of the table.

” They published the first dressing room photo after the first win under Howe against Burnley, “Raisbeck added.

He explained that he wanted the players and staff to be able to look back and recall the successes and highs of these specific games as well.

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.

That night St James ‘ Park hosted Champions League football for the first time in more than 20 years and a Paris St-Germain team led by Kylian Mbappe was beaten 4-1.

Rasbeck remarked, “This was Newcastle United at their best,” adding, “This was it. It will be forever discussed.

“It showed what they were capable of at that moment but also, hopefully, a glimpse of what can be their reality for years to come”.

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 one win, seven games winning streak from 7 December to 13 January 2024. However, their performance was so strong that they came out in contention for a respectable seventh-place finish.

Inconsistency and injuries were an issue again this season but Newcastle have overcome those to end their long wait for a trophy.

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given commented on Sky Sports following Sunday’s final that “there is a statue of Bobby Robson at St James’ Park.”