Made public Eddie Howe meeting with Newcastle United Sporting Director – Widen the scope


 
 
 
 
 
 

Newcastle United Sporting Director Paul Mitchell and Eddie Howe have met up for talks this week on moving forward and working together on behalf of the football club.

With i-news saying that their information is that there was ‘constructive dialogue’ and there is now confidence behind the scenes that any teething problems have been put to bed.

Crystal Palace not allowing Marc Guehi to move at the end of the transfer window, due to a new signing getting injured and Andersen leaving for Fulham, plus an informal interview/chat that the Newcastle United Sporting Director had with a number of journalists after that window closed, had led to a lot of speculation that there were differences in opinion between Head Coach and Sporting Director.

The journalists who attended the lengthy informal meeting/interview with Paul Mitchell, gave varying accounts of what was said by the recently appointed Newcastle United Sporting Director.

With it not exactly helping when some of the more hysterical/desperate reporting wanting to claim ‘civil war’ at Newcastle United,  some journalists seemingly intent on forcing either Paul Mitchell or Eddie Howe out of the club.

Those claiming ‘civil war’, appeared to be determined to base the post-interview reporting around a ‘not fit for purpose’ comment that Paul Mitchell had made about the recruitment policy.

That then leading to Eddie Howe quizzed at press conferences about the quality of past signings he and the club had made. The NUFC Head Coach quite rightly defending the level of signings made from January 2022 onwards.

Other commentators raised the possibility/probability that the ‘not fit for purpose’ comment had been the Newcastle United Sporting Director meaning more the overall recruitment situation, that had ended up with the desperate panic selling of both Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson before the end of June 2024 PSR deadline, before Paul Mitchell took up his new post.

Whether or not Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell had held conversations since the early September interview, didn’t appear that relevant to many people with regard to transfers/signings. Considering that a transfer window had just closed and it would be another four months until the next one.

Eddie Howe clearly finding this repeated line of questioning at his pre-match press conferences tiresome and even if he had spoken to the Newcastle United Sporting Director, it appeared unlikely he would have told the journalists anyway. Similar to the way that Eddie Howe no doubt frustrates many of the same journalists when so often misleading them about which players are/aren’t available, as he prefers to keep the opposition guessing. Same with imminent signings in the past, Harvey Barnes a prime example, when none of the media had a clue he had signed, until after the winger publicly met up with his new teammates in America.

The i-news exclusive about the Newcastle United Sporting Director and Head Coach having met in recent days, states

‘A weekend report claiming Mitchell would leave Newcastle before Howe if a so-called “power struggle” continued has been dismissed and majority owners the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) want the pair to work together as part of the new management structure…Mitchell’s planned tweak of the recruitment remit and outlook is also understood to have his (Eddie Howe’s) backing.

The report says that Paul Mitchell wants to widen the scope of their scouting network and also introduce more data into their processes, both things that the club’s powers are said to be supportive of. With the immediate aim to have a very positive January 2025 transfer window.

This media exclusive concludes with i-news stating ‘There is no sense of panic at St James’ Park, where the stated aim this campaign is to qualify for Europe next season. Instead there is confidence in Howe and his coaching team’s ability to hit the heights when it matters.’

A lot of positivity in that update and whilst I never had any doubts about the ability of Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell to work together, it is heartening to hear that they are said to be on the same page moving forward.

A small matter of performances and results of course before we get to that January window, then hopefully seeing one or more targets landed, to help ensure this season is a positive one for everybody connected with Newcastle United.