Eddie Howe acknowledges there are ‘issues’ at the club following a poor start to the season, but he backs his players’ effort to turn their form around.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has acknowledged that the club is experiencing “issues” following a poor start to the Premier League season, while strongly denying suggestions of deeper, “sinister” problems behind the scenes.
According to a report from Shields Gazette, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has acknowledged that there are “issues” at the club following a poor start to the Premier League season.
Newcastle is currently sitting two points above the relegation zone ahead of their return to Premier League action against Manchester City at St James’ Park on Saturday.
The Magpies have lost their last two league matches 3-1 at West Ham United and Brentford, despite having won their last five home matches in all competitions. They are also without a league win against Manchester City in any of their last 12 encounters.
Howe was directly asked whether the team’s poor form could be down to deeper, more “sinister” issues behind the scenes. He responded with brutal honesty:
“Naturally, people assume it is something sinister or something bad. People assume there are big problems if you are getting bad results. Sometimes that is the case. I’m not blind or trying to stick my head in the sand or saying we don’t have issues.”
Howe continued by stating that “our Premier League form would say that we have. Acknowledging those issues is important.”
He added that the club is “looking through everything and trying to find a new way forward to give us consistent results.”
Addressing the team’s effort, Howe stated, “The biggest thing for me is are the players giving their all? If the players aren’t giving their all, maybe it is something sinister; if they are, then I back them with the quality to come through it.
We haven’t been perfect and we have been a long way short in some games. But overall, I’d say the players have given their all.”
He also addressed the injury issues, noting that the absence of summer signing Yoane Wissa, who is yet to kick a ball for the club since his £55million signing.
Wissa has been a major problem, along with struggles at full-back with Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall struggling with injuries, though Hall is now back available and Livramento is back training.