Higher-ups giving Howe good support
EDDIE Howe has revealed that he has received ‘really good’ support from Newcastle United’s recruitment team as the Magpies attempt to sign the players to save their season next month.
January feels like a make or break window as 19th-placed Newcastle look to defy the odds and stay up after winning just one league game so far this season.
It is not an easy window to navigate at the best of times as clubs do not want to sell their best players because there is so little time to find replacements.
But Newcastle’s perilous position in the table and the fact it is a World Cup year makes it even trickier – despite the Magpies’ newfound wealth.
Newcastle are currently still just three points from safety and Howe has warned that it is ‘virtually impossible’ to have a ‘clear plan’ for the mid-season window because there are ‘so many twists and turns to come’.
Although the former Bournemouth manager has targets in mind, his main focus has been on getting more out of the club’s current crop of players, who will, ultimately, have the biggest say on the Magpies’ fate.
However, those above Howe, such as head of recruitment Steve Nickson and temporary recruitment consultant Nick Hammond, have been doing all they can to support the head coach ahead of the window opening on New Year’s Day.
“I’ve found the support in that area, the individuals you’ve mentioned, has been really good,” Howe said.
“Really good people first and foremost, who are very good at their jobs, and very intent on helping the club.”
One area the coaching staff are keen to strengthen is Newcastle’s desperately leaky defence.
No other side have conceded more goals in the Premier League this season than United (41) and the Magpies have recorded just a single clean sheet as clubs approach the halfway point of the campaign.