Arrival of new sporting boss will be vital, says coach

EDDIE Howe has declared that the impending arrival of Dan Ashworth as Newcastle United’s sporting director will be a “very important” appointment for the club.

Howe has welcomed the chance to work with such a figure after previously establishing a close bond with former team-mate Richard Hughes, who is still Bournemouth’s technical director.

Howe already knows Ashworth well and the pair share similar views on a range of issues, from how the game should be played to the importance of the academy.

Indeed, it was only last December that Howe commented that he “highly respected Dan and his work” at Brighton, the FA and West Brom.

Ashworth is currently on gardening leave at Brighton, after resigning and saying his goodbyes to players and staff earlier this week, but Newcastle hope to strike an agreement with the Seagulls to cut short his lengthy notice period.

Although Howe has been unable to speak specifically about Ashworth just yet, ahead of his appointment being formally announced, the Newcastle head coach has been asked about how important it was for the club’s owners to bring in a sporting director who is aligned with him.

“It’s a very important appointment for the club and, certainly, I think it’s needed,” he told reporters on Zoom.

“The stronger your team is around you and the better the decisions that are made regarding all aspects of the running of the football club then the easier, supposedly, it is for the manager to manage the team and concentrate all his efforts on coaching the team and dealing with the players.

“There’s a lot of things that go into running a football club and my main focus always has to be the team so it’s a hugely important appointment for the football club’s long-term future.”