'Everything just felt right': Eddie Howe happy with Newcastle United manager job after Saudi Arabia-backed takeover
Last month it was announced that a Saudi-backed consortium had taken over Newcastle United from Mike Ashley. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is close to the country's regime, which is accused of human rights abuses.
Wednesday 10 November 2021 18:28, UK
Newcastle United's new manager Eddie Howe believes the Saudi-backed project at St James' Park is a "perfect fit" for him.聽
In his first news conference on Tyneside he praised the vision the new owners have for the club - but insisted his primary concern is survival in the Premier League.
Newcastle are currently one place above bottom side Norwich City in the relegation zone and have yet to win a game this season.
"Everything just felt right," Howe said.
"The pull of the club is huge, the size of the club, history of the club obviously the new owner's plans….I just thought it was a perfect fit for me."
"I have been very very impressed by their vision for the club but to be honest I haven't delved into that too much," he said.
"It's all about the short term, obviously the position of the team we need to try and address that very quickly and move up the league. The aim is to stay in the league and avoid relegation."
At the club's fixture against Crystal Palace last month the opposition fans unveiled a banner questioning the morality of the Saudi investment in Newcastle.
The Premier League confirmed at the time of the takeover that the new consortium had passed the relevant checks on new owners and they were satisfied that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would not be running the club.
"For me this is a football decision," Howe told the news conference when asked if he had considered the criticism of the investment.
"My focus is football - running the team, managing the players, that is all I'm going to talk about."
He went on to reveal that his long term future at the club hasn't yet been discussed.
"Obviously I have spoken to different members of the ownership but I haven't gone into detail and I haven't seeked (sic) assurances for two years, three years, four years because it is not relevant.
"There might come a day, I hope there does come a day, when we can have a conversation about the long (term) vision but it's not now."
Howe also spoke fondly of the free-flowing football Newcastle played under Kevin Keegan in the 90s and said he'd love to try and emulate that style of play.
"I would love to give the crowd some of those special moments and memories….it was a beautiful team to watch," he added.
His first game in charge will be against Brentford at St James' Park on 20 November.