Tuesday night’s 2-1 win away at the Tottenham Hotspur was a huge, significant win for a number of reasons.
It was not only a rot-stopping result that put an end to our recent streak of losses, but also a massive boost to the morale of Eddie Howe, the fanbase, and the squad itself.
And whilst there were some inspired performances from the likes of Anthony Elanga, Joe Willock and Jacob Ramsey, it seems steps were taken in the minutes after our previous game to make sure we rallied together and responded in the capital.
As revealed in Craig Hope’s latest Confidential column for The Mail, there was a recent post-match meeting between Newcastle players to address their ongoing form and the need to drastically improve.
Hope writes that following our 3-2 loss to Brentford last weekend, the lads engaged in a “passionate and impromptu post-match summit” in the St James’ Park dressing room, which was led by returning captain Bruno Guimaraes and supported by members of the leadership circle; Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Jacob Murphy.
The players knew they needed to act after seeing Howe come under increasing pressure and criticism from both the fans and within the media, culminating in the team being booed off the pitch at both half time and full time against the Bees.
Identifying Spurs as the perfect time to bounce back and showcase their unity, there was a markedly improved performance in North London, and it’s thought the passionate celebrations – for the goals and in the post-match scenes – were a representation of the team’s determination to puts things right; for Howe, the fans and the sake of our season.
You only had to look at the jubilant scenes post match, including that of Howe celebrating with the travelling supporters, to showcase just how much that elusive away win did the overall morale of the team.
A remarkably similar situation occurred just over a year ago. A decisive, damaging loss to Brentford in the league led to serious conversations within the squad about how to improve, and we promptly went on one of the best runs we’ve ever had in the Premier League era. Here’s hoping that history will repeat itself here…
The executives within the club, like Ross Wilson and David Hopkinson, have made it abundantly clear that they want to build the club around Howe and do all they can to ensure the manager has the best tools to succeed.
And after the Spurs result, it’s clear to see that the players share the same vision, with the group looking anything but a side no longer playing for the manager.
Amidst all the turbulence and turmoil at other clubs in the league, namely the now manager-less Spurs and Nottingham Forest, having that strong bond between the coach and his players has never been more fundamental to success.
Though frustrations and disappointment levels will have definitely been high after our Carabao Cup exit, there’s still so much to play for this season, with Newcastle still in the FA Cup, aiming for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and still in with every chance of qualifying for Europe through our Premier League position.