Newcastle boss Howe: ‘There have been no fallings out and I remain 100% committed to the club’

Eddie Howe says he is 100% committed to Newcastle and insists he has not fallen out with club CEO David Hopkinson.

Howe is under pressure following the derby defeat to Sunderland that left his expensively assembled side in 12th place in the Premier League with Hopkinson admitting before the international break that the club weren’t looking to make a managerial change “at the moment”.

It was hardly a glowing endorsement of Howe but the former Bournemouth boss is confident he retains the backing of the club’s hierarchy.

Asked about the meeting with Hopkinson that followed Sunderland’s 2-1 win on Tyneside on March 22, Howe said: “It was all constructive. It was not necessarily a meeting about Sunderland. It was a planned meeting about the future and about making sure that we are aligned as a football club and we know what we need to do going ahead into the future to make sure we are successful long term.

“As I told you, David, [sporting director] Ross [Wilson]… we’re all aligned, we know it is not easy, and the conditions for us are going to be challenging. But I think with smart planning and good work we can still be successful. There have certainly been no fallings out. I’ve got a very good relationship with Ross and David.

“We’re plotting to try and take the club forward in the smartest way possible. I’ve had really good support from both of them and they are the key figures I work with day to day at the club. We’re all totally aligned on what we need to do. The long-term prospects for the football club, I think, are really strong. 

“Not all the forces are with us and we’re going to have to act really smart and try to outperform the budget to hit the levels that everyone wants.”

Howe says he would change stance if it helped Newcastle

There have been suggestions Howe would walk away while his stock remained high but he was clear that was not the case.

He added: “Nothing has changed. I’m 100% committed to the job. In this day and age it is difficult to look too far into the long term. I have to focus on the final seven games.”

He did hint, however, that he would reconsider that stance if it benefitted the club.

“I need support,” he said. “Good working relationships with the people around me. A feeling of being able to express myself in the best way possible so you see the best version of myself. If I feel that, and the club feels that, then they’re getting the best manager they can from myself. 

“Obviously, if that’s not working for whatever reason, on both sides, then it’s best for the football club… which is the most important thing in all of this, that is Newcastle United, not me or anybody else, it’s Newcastle. I will always reflect that in my decision-making. I will put the club before anybody.”

Howe spent over £200million last summer on the likes of Nick Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey and conceded not qualifying for Europe this season would likely mean a reduced budget come June.

“They [the players] know they are under pressure to perform and to win and I‘m under pressure to get results,,” said Howe. “For me, we’ve just got to try to focus on being at our best against Crystal Palace and then the next game, the next game…

“Of course, we know the long-term target is Europe and there are financial implications if we don’t hit that.”

Howe expecting tough game when Newcastle visit Palace

Newcastle visit Palace on Sunday and Howe accepts it will be another tough game against Oliver Glasner’s side, who beat Fiorentina 3-0 in the Conference League last night.

Howe said: “Crystal Palace are always a tough game. A well-organised team with a superb coach and I watched them last night in preparation for this game.”

Captain Bruno Guimaraes won’t be available for the trip to Selhurst Park after coming down with an illness while on international duty with Brazil and defender Fabian Schar has had to undergo minor surgery on a foot problem.