The Magpies face Qarabag tonight and Eddie Howe has staged an open and honest interview with Prime Video
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe spoke ahead of tonight's Champions League tie with Qarabag(Image: Prime Video)
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Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe does not believe last season's Carabao Cup win over Liverpool at Wembley has earned him credit in the bank at St James' Park.
Howe leads his team into a crucial period of the 2025/26 season with just 11 games left in the Premier League and qualification for the Champions League via a domestic route looking tough. United are still very much involved in the Champions League and FA Cup but Howe could yet emerge with only a Europa Conference League place as a reward for what he calls his "hardest" season yet as Toon boss.
That Howe has ranked the struggles this season ahead of the 2021/22 Premier League survival campaign is telling, but given fresh PSR struggles, injury woe and his star striker Alexander Isak going on strike just days in pre-season, it is little wonder Howe's assessment is so severe.
Howe told Prime Video: "I don’t think that’s the world we’re in these days, with winning and this culture at this moment.
"The expectation goes up, and you need to stretch to meet these demands. I have no issue with that, that’s just where I need to ask more of myself, my team, and my staff to try and stretch and attain that."
When asked if the season was the "hardest" yet for him as United boss, Howe said; “It probably has. I paused there as it’s very easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses and always have a positive view on history, and then not realise that times have been hard.
"Taking everything into account, and everything that happened last summer and all the challenges we have faced this season, it probably has yes, but it can still have a great end and we’re trying to be very positive and look to what we can achieve, the Champions League now being number one for our season."
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe in an interview with Prime Video(Image: Prime Video)
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In a season which has resulted in some boos at St James' Park in the recent 3-2 loss to Brentford, comparisons were drawn up by some observers that Howe could leave Newcastle in a similar way to Kevin Keegan or Sir Bobby Robson, who both departed after achieving success for various reasons.
Howe said: "I have looked into that a little bit, in terms of the length of tenures as I think it’s interesting, mainly given I’d associate both managers as having longer tenures, as they’re icons here and rightfully so.
"For all the success that they had, the cultures that they built and the supporter love that they built, it was quite high and then it went. Obviously, I don’t want that for me, but no one can predict the future."
Howe is very much a 24/7 operator and admits he has became obsessed with trying to find success for the Magpies.
Howe said: “I think it started as a passion, but it’s turned into an obsession. Passion definitely for the game and the love of the execution, but it develops a love for the detail and the way that you play, and the way in which you can make the team better, and that’s where the obsession then takes over.
"I think improving the individual has always been at the heart of my coaching philosophy, as this helps the team come together and play better again."
Eddie Howe was speaking to Gabriel Clarke ahead of Prime Video’s UEFA Champions League coverage of Newcastle United vs. Qarabağ.
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