It’s no secret that Eddie Howe’s commitment to coaching and scouting rank among the highest in the Premier League
And now one of his former scouts at AFC Bournemouth has given us a fascinating insight into just how dedicated Howe was (and still is) in terms of overseeing his club’s scouting approach.
From being a thorough individual with a keen eye for detail, to routinely attending games of potential targets, it’s fair to say that no effort is spared by the gaffer when it comes to his role as manager.
In a recent interview on The Overlap: Breakdown podcast, former Bournemouth recruitment analyst and current Head of Scouting at Al-Ettifaq Adam Spring couldn’t help but lavish praise on Howe for his work at the club.
“From Richard Hughes, to Des Taylor, Andy Howe,Eddie Howe. He (Eddie Howe) probably did more work than a scout on a player. He was truly remarkable in the work he did on players.”
Even with experienced figures like Paul Mitchell providing insight at Newcastle, it should come as no surprise that Howe prefers a very hands on, direct approach to handling his squad growth and development.
Compared to international bosses like Thomas Tuchel attending games to see their prospective squad players, it’s unusual to see club managers routinely visit games outside their own and scout players. But that’s not the case for Howe, who clearly takes pride in knowing his players and targets inside out.
Spring added: “He would go to games live to scout a player. I think most managers are like that because they are the ones investing the time into that player.”
“They’re going to be the ones with them on the training pitch every day, investing their time, effort and skillset into that player. So they go to these games, sit there and assess them thoroughly to ensure they can work with them and be a success.”
“He did more work than a scout on a player!” 🤯
Former Bournemouth Recruitment Analyst, Thomas Spring, on working with Eddie Howe on signing players! 🧠 pic.twitter.com/D3QiiA2N8Z
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) March 26, 2025
Just what positive impact can having a manager like Howe have on a club’s scouting efforts? The results the gaffer has been able to produce at Bournemouth and now Newcastle tell one story.
One only has to look at the current Newcastle squad and the likes of Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall and see that the hard work Howe and his team are putting into scouting is paying off.
Speaking in the past on his desire to “create a culture that gives you the optimum chance for success” Howe’s methods may be unlike many around, but not many have been able to replicate his recent successes.