Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell had a difficult relationship at Newcastle United.
The pair were at odds with each other last summer, with Newcastle United appointing Paul Mitchell without involving Eddie Howe in the process.
Howe considered leaving Newcastle United following Mitchell’s arrival, such was his displeasure at what had gone on behind the scenes.
Alongside the PSR debacle, the tension between Howe and Mitchell dominated the Magpies’ summer.
That tension is no more, with Mitchell leaving Newcastle United at the end of June.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Paul Mitchell brought James Bunce to Newcastle United
While their relationship was far from harmonious, Howe will certainly be grateful for the work that Mitchell has done.
The 43-year-old’s biggest gift to the Newcastle United manager was bringing in James Bunce as performance director.
Mitchell and Bunce previously worked together at Monaco, with the former describing the latter as the ‘best in class’ following his arrival at St James’ Park.
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Bunce has had a huge impact since joining the club, reducing the number of injuries within the Newcastle United squad.
Following his arrival, Mitchell told Bunce to protect Howe, ensuring that the Toon boss was fully informed about the condition of his players.
Howe praised Bunce’s impact at Newcastle United in December, admitting he was delighted with the work done by the man who Mitchell brought to the club.
He told the media: “I think we’ve managed certain situations better this year. Everyone deserves congratulations in the medical team, sports science team. James Bunce has come in and had a really positive impact, so I’m delighted with how that’s working.”
More to come from Paul Mitchell’s work at Newcastle United
While he is set to leave at the end of June, Newcastle United should still benefit from Mitchell’s work.
That is because Vakhtang Salia is joining the club in August, while Antonio Cordero is set to sign for Newcastle United too.
They are two teenage talents with a lot of potential who could either save or earn the club a lot of money in the future.
Mitchell pushed to sign Salia, while Newcastle have fended off interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona to land Cordero.
If they succeed on Tyneside, Mitchell will be looked back on even more fondly for his work as Newcastle United sporting director.