KaKa

Howe after the window: Despite accepting that this was probably the most personally “hands-off” transfer window he had experienced as a manager Howe was careful not to criticise Mitchell and the hierarchy. “My happiness against what we’re able to do in the transfer market are totally different things,” he said. “I’m enjoying my work. I’m happy. “But it’s a challenging period, no doubt about that. I’ve said all summer that I’m not involved in negotiations for players. It probably has been my most hands-off window. The whole structure of the club is different. There are different personalities and different ways of working. But that’s not necessarily a negative. “My job is to continue to do the best for the players we have here. There’s been some unsettled players [at Newcastle] but the closure of transfer window will bring clarity and common purpose. We’ll just have to crack on regardless and try and have a great season while learning the lessons of what’s happened.”

Ha! Of course Asked about the appointment of Mitchell by BBC Radio Newcastle, Howe said: “The early signs are promising. “So, I think he’s the right person to lead Newcastle United forward. I think he’s got a passion, I think he’ll make good decisions – a very strong decision-maker. “So yeah, I think it all looks positive.” Mitchell is keen to downplay any suggestion of an ongoing rift between the pair, insisting their relationship is good, and has become even stronger over the course of a testing summer. Howe suggested last week that he has been playing a more “hands-off role” with regard to transfer matters, but Mitchell has painted a different picture of the situation. “Contrary to opinion, we speak every night more or less, and every day a minimum of once, on all different topics," he said. "I think this idea that me and Eddie haven’t spoken all the way through the transfer window is false. "All the way right up to the last minutes, he is fully updated and involved. We speak literally an hour a night. If we aren’t able to physically communicate, we’ll use WhatsApp. "He’ll get regular updates from me - this is happening, this looks like it’s happening, this player is going on loan. We speak one hour every evening if we can’t see each other during the day - this is what has happened today, 'This is where we are with a potential player, where we are with the current exit strategy'. For me, that is a healthy level of communication."

Picking and choosing what they want to believe. Ignoring that both men have said communication has been good between the two, and things are good so far. Ignoring that people that were present at the interview said it didn't come across as negative. Instead going with Hope and Edwards narrative, which is rubbished most o of the time on here anyway.

I find the insistence he was throwing people under the bus even weirder. He's far more experienced in recruitment than anyone we've had at Newcastle since the takeover. If he says things need improving he's probably not just talking for the hell of it.

The point was Ashworth isn't that strong on recruitment. This is why they have been looking for a recruitment specialist to work under him.

To be fair to Howe, I'm pretty sure he was refering to being hands off on the day to day negotiations. All of this stuff is just getting misinterpreted by the media. Going forward, it's just not worth them even trying to communicate because it just gets twisted every which way.

Well he's describing what the strategy in place was. People are looking at it as him dishing out blame, because they've already accepted the narrative of a falling out behind the scenes over targets. At the end of the day he agreed with the strategy and supported it, and so they were all in the same boat. I'm not convinced that internally they were at logger heads. They all even seemed to be in agreement to sit tight and not spend the money if they couldn't land a difference maker for the first team. I expect January will be a continuation of what they were trying to do in the summer. With maybe a few other alternatives being considered.

Yeah, they were also looking at Freedman.

Good. Funny because Man United are still looking for a recruitment specialist to work under him. I wonder why that is.

The DOF working in agreement with the manager is a must. If Howe can't make the adjustment, it will be game over for him. I think Howe will adjust though. Ashworth didn't have the global recruitment experience Mitchell has, and that will be the difference.

He said he was in agreement with their agreed strategy, and worked towards that. That is not distancing himself from blame.

Eddie himself said he could do with more information on players from further afield. He has also been asking for the recruitment to be centred around more data/analysis, and not just old school first person scouting. The previous structure was worthy of criticism. It was well behind the times.

Which is why any sign of further problems and Howe will be out.

No chance his job is under threat. And in fact if and when any drama kicks off between him and the manager, Eddie is the one that will be gone. Fortunately, all this noise appears to be a load of nonsense from the doom mongers.

For what it's worth we were linked with Antony earlier that summer before he joined Man Utd. Has a huge work rate which I'm sure Howe would like, and showed some quality at Ajax. It's a classic case of Man Utd ruining another young prospect, as he has been a disaster there. No idea if this interest is true, but if it happens I wouldn't sweat it. Far more likely he looks good linking up with our two Brazilians and playing for Howe, and in the process making Man Utd look dumb.

Came in for the last 15 mins or so for Mainoo. Could kind of see what he was about. Always looking to get on the ball and distribute it without too many touches. Looked sharp I thought.

Felt like England stopped taking the game seriously, and were sloppier. Ireland were a bit more enthusiastic but were never going to do anything. England could actually have added another two goals. Comfortable win for England.

Too obvious from Saka.

Trent has been a disgrace this second half.

Vurnon Anita vibes. Gomes is quality though.

As if they haven't been stinking in these kind of games with Southgate.

And yet under Southgate it would have still been slow, painful, boring dross.

Having a really good game.

That is fucking brilliant football.