THIS TYNE.. MORE THAN ANY OTHER TYNE
Howe determined to end Toon’s long wait for silverware
TROPHY BITTER
NEWCASTLE have only once before progressed beyond the League Cup quarter-finals. That was in 1976, when they played Spurs.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, nearly 50,000 watched as Toon under Gordon Lee (below) won 3-1, with Malcolm Macdonald, Glenn Keeley and Geoff Nulty scoring.
Wembley beckoned, but Newcastle lost 2-1 to Manchester City in the final.
BY IAN MURTAGH
EDDIE HOWE can feel the hand of history resting on his shoulders but the Newcastle boss insists it is no burden.
Howe will become the first Toon manager since Graeme Souness almost 18 years ago to lead his side into a major cup semi-final when they take on Southampton tonight at St Mary’s.
And Howe, 45, was not even born when the Magpies last played in the last four of the League Cup – the late Gordon Lee was in the dug-out when they overcame Tottenham in 1976.
But while he is well aware of the significance of the two-legged tie, he knows that for a club with Newcastle’s new-found ambition, this is just a starting block.
“We are delighted to be where we are but the semi-final in itself is not enough,” said Howe.
“To say you got to a semi-final means nothing, ultimately.
“We’re proud to be where we are but we want more.
“You want to go one step further and I know the players feel the same way.”
Asked if he considered it an achievement that Newcastle have reached the semi-finals again, Howe added: “It’s a dangerous thing to answer ‘yes’ because that sets a ceiling of where we are mentally.
“If you set a ceiling you can never cross it and I’ve said the same throughout my managerial career. I don’t believe in saying you cannot achieve things or you cannot do things or we are not ready to do this yet. Absolutely not.”
Newcastle’s record in knockout competitions under former owner Mike Ashley was so appalling, cup fever has been brewing on Tyneside since victory over Howe’s former club Bournemouth last month to reach the last eight.
Toon will have the backing of 3,000 fans tonight and could have sold twice as many tickets.
With the club having gone 68 years without a domestic trophy, many supporters would even swap a top-four finish for Carabao Cup glory.
Howe is well aware just what it would mean for the Geordie nation, though the responsibility does not frighten him.
“Leading this club is something I don’t take lightly,” he said.
“But I don’t feel burdened by any external pressures. I don’ think I can live like that.
“So I understand the importance of these games to everybody, me included but I try to approach games in the same way.
“Very analytical in the build-up, understand our opponent, understand how we’re going to play, trust our training and our work.
“You have to have the mindset where you’re not too emotionally involved. You’re looking at it clearly from a football perspective.”
Allan Saint-maximin and Alexander Isak are both pushing for starts, though Howe could stick with the line-up which stretched an unbeaten run in the league to 15 games with Saturday’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace.