Eddie Howe ‘begins his Newcastle survival mission down the pub as the new boss holds a team-bonding session’ in bid to lift morale with mega-rich club stuck in the Premier League drop zone
- Eddie Howe took staff to the Three Mile in Gosforth after training on Thursday
- The 43-year-old is keen to lift morale with the club stuck in the drop zone
- Appointed following the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s takeover
New Newcastle boss Eddie Howe began plotting his survival escape down the pub.
Howe was appointed this week following the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s takeover at the club.
And the 43-year-old is keen to lift morale with the club stuck in the drop zone in the Premier League.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe took his staff to the Three Mile in Gosforth on Thursday
Howe took his backroom team to the Three Mile in Gosforth after training on Thursday, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Former Bournemouth boss was joined by Jason Tindall, Stephen Purches, Simon Weatherstone and Dan Hodges
Graeme Jones, who has stayed on after being appointed caretaker manager following Steve Bruce’s dismissal, was also present.
Howe spent time with staff during the afternoon get-together at the gastropub.
The 43-year-old has taken over at Newcastle following Steve Bruce’s sacking last month (pictured: club director Amanda Staveley, right, and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, left)
He also posed for pictures with staff.
Players not on international duty trained earlier in the day before staff broke away for their meet-and-greet as they plot a way out of relegation trouble.
Amanda Staveley, who owns a stake in the club and facilitated the takeover, has told NUFC TV that after appointing Howe as head coach, ‘we had to have someone leading the club who is not frightened of relegation’.
He made no promises as to securing the club’s top flight status with relegation a real threat
‘It would have been and easy decision not to buy club yet, wait to post-Christmas, or post-January transfer window to see where the club sat in the league and then make the acquisition,’ said Staveley.
‘That would have been a safer investment bet. We didn’t do that. If we didn’t get it now, it wasn’t going to happen.
‘We had to take that risk, and we felt we took a risk because club was in 19th at the time. Eddie took that risk with us because there is always a chance of relegation. I think he will do the most incredible job.’
Howe is tasked with staving off the threat of relegation with Newcastle struggling this term