I’m fighting to bring success to Magpies

management career has never been smooth, you can go back to my start point where I was thrown in. I was taking on a challenge that was harder than I will ever have.

“My management career from the depths of League Two to where I am now has served me well with perceived adversity.

“Challenging times is something I’ve had throughout my career so this is nothing new it is just on a bigger scale.”

So is life tougher at the top or tougher at the bottom in League Two?

Howe replied: “It’s different and I don’t know if one is tougher than the other, you have to get results. You have to get results regardless of what league you are in or what position you are in.

“We’re in that moment now where we are running out of time. We have to start winning consistently and that’s what everyone wants.”

Howe was also asked about those links with Nagelsmann, and the Toon boss reflected: “Genuinely, it doesn’t affect me.

“I am sat in the seat and my future will be defined by what I do, nobody else.

“It is up to me to continually prove. But I back myself and my abilities, and I know my qualities.

“I know what I try to bring to the job and I have ambitions for the team and the club.

“I can’t control what you guys write or what speculation there is in every sense.

“And I don’t try to get involved in it.”

NEWCASTLE United have made an alteration to their backroom department by promoting Andy Howe to assistant head of firstteam recruitment.

The nephew of Eddie Howe will now be number two to head of recruitment Steve Nickson having operated as head of technical scouting since the ex-AFC Bournemouth boss was appointed as Toon chief in 2021.

The move comes swiftly after sporting director Dan Ashworth left the club on gardening leave last week.

It means that the former Plymouth Argyle scout will now have a bigger role in identifying key targets for the first-team and drops a hint that things are moving ahead of what will be a busy summer.

It remains to be seen whether Nickson could potentially step up to a revamped sporting director role following the exit of Manchester United-bound Ashworth.