LEEDS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Jonjo Shelvey celebrates with teammate Ryan Fraser (R) of Newcastle after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Newcastle United at Elland Road on January 22, 2022 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
LEEDS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Jonjo Shelvey celebrates with teammate Ryan Fraser (R) of Newcastle after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Newcastle United at Elland Road on January 22, 2022 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Ryan Fraser was forced to train with Newcastle United under-21s before joining Southampton.
Aberdeen-born Fraser moved to England as an 18-year-old in January 2013, where he first linked up with Howe at AFC Bournemouth.
Fraser joined the Cherries when they were in League One but reached the Premier League two-and-a-half-years later. He made 208 appearances in total before joining Newcastle on a free transfer in September 2020.
The winger’s exit from the Vitality Stadium was a controversial one. Fraser was required to sign a short-term contract in order to finish the 2019-20 season, which was extended because of the Covid-19 pandemic, however he refused.
Bournemouth, under Howe, went on to be relegated to the Championship. Howe subsequently left his role as manager and took a 15-month break before being appointed as Newcastle’s head coach in November 2021.
No bad feelings lingered on Tyneside initially as Fraser played a key role in keeping the Magpies in the Premier League. However, halfway through the following campaign, when United reached the Carabao Cup final and qualified for the Champions League, Fraser was told to train with the under-21s.
Ryan Fraser reveals how he really feels about Eddie Howe
The exact reason for the pair’s fallout has never been disclosed but neither holds a grudge after Fraser spoke glowingly about his former boss, tipping him as a future England manager.
“I knew what Eddie Howe was like, I saw at a young age… they were on a 13-game unbeaten run in League One,” Fraser said. “Eddie Howe was coming to me and saying: ‘I want you to come down with us and this is how we’re going to play, and this is how I want to develop my players’.
“And as a young lad, when you’re seeing a manager wanting to develop players, it’s not all about the game day, game day win, for being such a young player, that’s sort of how I wanted my career to progress.
“I wanted a man, a manager and a friend to be like ‘I’m going to make you a better player’, and that was the main reason why I went to Bournemouth, just so I could be with him.
“When I was at home, my mum and dad did everything for me, so when I moved down, I had to learn how to cook and the club helped me out with that massively. Eddie Howe, again, sort of took on a role as dad figure and helped me with anything that I needed.
“You can see what he’s doing now at Newcastle, what he did at Bournemouth, he’ll be England manager one day, no doubt, and he just makes everyone better. And that’s the highest compliment I can give him. He can make any player in this world better.”
Ryan Fraser: Newcastle United fans are the best in the world
As well as Howe, Fraser spoke incredibly highly of Newcastle supporters, labelling the fanbase as “one of, if not the best fans in the world”.
Fraser added: “Honestly, it shocked me a little bit and it took me time to get used to just walking around the streets and how much they love football and how much they demand from you, and I didn’t expect that at the start.
“But when you start to know and get used to that, it was, unbelievable to play at St James Park on a big night.”
“I don’t think anything beats it.I think there are fans and I’m not just saying that because I played for them, I think their fans are, if not one of the best in the world (the best). I honestly think they’re that good.”
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