Eddie Howe lifts the Carabao Cup Trophy
Eddie Howe lifts the Carabao Cup trophy
For Jose Mourinho in 2005 and Pep Guardiola in 2018, read Eddie Howe in 2025. The League Cup may not be the most sought-after trophy of the season - although try telling Newcastle United fans that after 56 years without silverware - but it has proved to be a signficant one of some of the game's top managers.
Both Mourinho and Guardiola's first success in England came via the competition, with huge success following in Chelsea and Manchester City respectively. United's situation may be different in that few expect them to go on a win league titles just yet, but there is a feeling on Tyneside that this can be just the start of something special.
More investment in the squad is expected to follow in the summer transfer window, and with a Champions League place a very realistic goal for the remaining 10 games of the season, it is exciting time at St James' Park. Warren Barton knows all about how important the feel-good factor is around the club, having played a key part in the Kevin Keegan side which went so close to clinching the Premier League title - plus two losing FA Cup finals under Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit.
And the popular ex-defender is confident that there is plenty more to come from this side, especially under the calm leadership of Howe.
“I don’t want to get greedy and too carried away, but I think this might be the start of many more trophies,” said Barton, speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.com. “It has to start sometime. Jose Mourinho did it at Chelsea, Pep Guardiola did it at Man City – and clubs then go on a roll."
“The new ownership group were at the game, they must have seen the fans, licked their lips and thought, wow. They might be thinking, ‘we’ve only invested x amount, but if invest x amount more – and keep doing things the right way – then we can go and compete with the best teams. That’s all we’ve ever wanted.
“Great credit to Eddie, I want to personally congratulate him because I think he’s been a great role model to everybody at the club. He’s taken on board what it is to manage the club – and him and his coaching staff have been great, even when they had a bit of wobble a couple of times during their time at the club. They’ve managed to stay level-headed. I’m so pleased for him."
“I was lucky enough to meet him in Philadelphia when Newcastle were over, he’s a top guy and he deserves all the success that comes his way. And so do the players, they were phenomenal. The front three bossed it and we overran Liverpool, who are very strong at the back."
Barton flew to the UK from California to watch the game alongside some Newcastle United greats, and has no doubt that the Magpies were worthy winners on the day, with Liverpool swept aside in a 2-1 victory.
“I was at the match with my brother, who lives in Newcastle, and Alan Shearer and Bobby Moncur,” Barton added. “Bobby had a tear in his eye and Alan was jumping up and down, it was just a special day. I didn’t even have a hangover to be honest because I wanted to savour the moment.
“But I’m sure they’ll still be a few hangovers in the North East now, especially with it having been St Patrick’s Day on Monday – and why not! It was a brilliant weekend for everyone, one which is going to live long in the memory.”
“I thought Newcastle thoroughly deserved to win it. All the cup finals I played in, we just didn’t turn up against Manchester United or Arsenal."
“But Eddie got his tactics spot on. We were aggressive and we could have quite easily been 3-0 up. Tuesday night (getting eliminated from the Champions League) probably affected Liverpool but, by and large, we smothered them. We were winning every second ball and every tackle."
“We played really, really well. We showed what quality we have. It was a fairytale when the big man [Dan Burns] scores. He gets selected for England and then he scores at Wembley."
“I think 2-1 flattered them, it really did. In the end they ran out of ideas and the top team in the country were smashing it 50 yards up to Virgil van Dijk, who was trying to head it down. Everyone needed to do a really good job – and they did that from the keeper to the subs coming on at the end. I’m so pleased for the city and the fans, because we’ve been waiting a long, long time for that.”
NUFC win Carabao Cup
We thought you'd like a handy highlights guide to our best coverage of Newcastle United's Carabao Cup win:
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'The noise, the passion, the pride': Newcastle's Carabao Cup win sees thousands celebrate at home and in London