Eddie Howe

[Ellis H]

"Without going into the individual situation here, we've tried to sign several players,” Howe admitted when asked about putting sole focus on signing one player in Guehi. “It's never been about one player. It can never be about one player, because as soon as you're in that position, then your negotiation strength is over.“

"So, no, we've tried for several targets, but it still has to be the right player though. And there isn't an unlimited number of players. It's not like you can, well, we'll just go on to the next one, the next one, the next one. Because then the quality dilutes and then you have to question whether you're doing the right thing for the long-term future of the club. "There isn't a bottomless pit of money. We're not able to spend that way. Everything that we do has a long-term consequence. So you've got to be very sure whatever you do is right for the long-term future and short-term future of the club.”

 

When asked what the ‘right player’ is for Newcastle, Howe added: “The right player is multi-factored, really. 

“It's the right age, the right deal as in transfer fee, the right wages, then the right player to actually come into your squad, the right positional need. 

“There's loads of things. If one of those things is not right, especially financially for us, it puts us in a difficult situation."

 

 

Thats from last summer and it explains why we’ve got a (very) shortlist of targets. He needs to be asked whether he trusts his scouts or not tbh.

[andycap]

41 minutes ago, Ellis H said:

"Without going into the individual situation here, we've tried to sign several players,” Howe admitted when asked about putting sole focus on signing one player in Guehi. “It's never been about one player. It can never be about one player, because as soon as you're in that position, then your negotiation strength is over.“

"So, no, we've tried for several targets, but it still has to be the right player though. And there isn't an unlimited number of players. It's not like you can, well, we'll just go on to the next one, the next one, the next one. Because then the quality dilutes and then you have to question whether you're doing the right thing for the long-term future of the club. "There isn't a bottomless pit of money. We're not able to spend that way. Everything that we do has a long-term consequence. So you've got to be very sure whatever you do is right for the long-term future and short-term future of the club.”

 

When asked what the ‘right player’ is for Newcastle, Howe added: “The right player is multi-factored, really. 

“It's the right age, the right deal as in transfer fee, the right wages, then the right player to actually come into your squad, the right positional need. 

“There's loads of things. If one of those things is not right, especially financially for us, it puts us in a difficult situation."

 

 

Thats from last summer and it explains why we’ve got a (very) shortlist of targets. He needs to be asked whether he trusts his scouts or not tbh.

That's like telling your scouts I want all the best dearest talent around and nothing else because the club can't take the chance.

he needs to drop his standards slightly so we atleast have a strong squad first then go for the top targets. 

[Shadow Puppets]

According to one of the agents I speak to, the reason the list appears to lean heavily to PL experience is because we can’t really afford a “miss”. PSR means we pretty much have to buy guaranteed hits if we can.

[Shearergol]

2 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

According to one of the agents I speak to, the reason the list appears to lean heavily to PL experience is because we can’t really afford a “miss”. PSR means we pretty much have to buy guaranteed hits if we can.

there’s probably only 4 clubs in the league who can afford a miss, but none of the others are chasing overpriced unattainable players.

[Stuy_O]

1 hour ago, London Mag said:

That's because hr doesn't want to sign players who aten't better than what we've got

As of now that’s actually a load of shite. We need to bolster the squad size otherwise our big players will be done in by Christmas. 
 

Not every player we sign needs to be a Bruno or a Tonali. 

[The Butcher]

2 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

According to one of the agents I speak to, the reason the list appears to lean heavily to PL experience is because we can’t really afford a “miss”. PSR means we pretty much have to buy guaranteed hits if we can.

We have close to a 100% success rate from shopping abroad since the takeover.

 

Trust the scouts and Nickson and we'll be fine. Imo.

[Shadow Puppets]

Just now, Shearergol said:

there’s probably only 4 clubs in the league who can afford a miss, but none of the others are chasing overpriced unattainable players.

Again this from the same agent… we’re in a peculiar position whereby we’re now expectant to be challenging for CL football every year, the players and coaches are expectant of it too, but the financial position of the club doesn’t even remotely come close to levelling with those ambitions, so each purchase HAS to work. There’s zero room for error.

 

Smaller clubs can take more chances, generally because their ambition and expectation levels are significantly different, and more in line with their financials.

[madras]

1 minute ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Again this from the same agent… we’re in a peculiar position whereby we’re now expectant to be challenging for CL football every year, the players and coaches are expectant of it too, but the financial position of the club doesn’t even remotely come close to levelling with those ambitions, so each purchase HAS to work. There’s zero room for error.

 

Smaller clubs can take more chances, generally because their ambition and expectation levels are significantly different, and more in line with their financials.

Would that place Villa in the same position?

[Shearergol]

Just now, Shadow Puppets said:

Again this from the same agent… we’re in a peculiar position whereby we’re now expectant to be challenging for CL football every year, the players and coaches are expectant of it too, but the financial position of the club doesn’t even remotely come close to levelling with those ambitions, so each purchase HAS to work. There’s zero room for error.

 

Smaller clubs can take more chances, generally because their ambition and expectation levels are significantly different, and more in line with their financials.

Our players and coaches may have those expectations but they’re completely unrealistic. It’s not just the financials stopping us from being a top club. There’s a lack of vision, stability, leadership evident throughout the club. Take our manager away and we have fuck all.

[SUPERTOON]

2 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Again this from the same agent… we’re in a peculiar position whereby we’re now expectant to be challenging for CL football every year, the players and coaches are expectant of it too, but the financial position of the club doesn’t even remotely come close to levelling with those ambitions, so each purchase HAS to work. There’s zero room for error.

 

Smaller clubs can take more chances, generally because their ambition and expectation levels are significantly different, and more in line with their financials.

Expectant from the owners? Can’t believe that given how they have acted in the last 18 months or so.

[toon25]

1 hour ago, Ellis H said:

"Without going into the individual situation here, we've tried to sign several players,” Howe admitted when asked about putting sole focus on signing one player in Guehi. “It's never been about one player. It can never be about one player, because as soon as you're in that position, then your negotiation strength is over.“

"So, no, we've tried for several targets, but it still has to be the right player though. And there isn't an unlimited number of players. It's not like you can, well, we'll just go on to the next one, the next one, the next one. Because then the quality dilutes and then you have to question whether you're doing the right thing for the long-term future of the club. "There isn't a bottomless pit of money. We're not able to spend that way. Everything that we do has a long-term consequence. So you've got to be very sure whatever you do is right for the long-term future and short-term future of the club.”

 

When asked what the ‘right player’ is for Newcastle, Howe added: “The right player is multi-factored, really. 

“It's the right age, the right deal as in transfer fee, the right wages, then the right player to actually come into your squad, the right positional need. 

“There's loads of things. If one of those things is not right, especially financially for us, it puts us in a difficult situation."

 

 

Thats from last summer and it explains why we’ve got a (very) shortlist of targets. He needs to be asked whether he trusts his scouts or not tbh.

 

I'd still like to know what the criteria is for the 'right player' mind

[nufc123]

12 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

According to one of the agents I speak to, the reason the list appears to lean heavily to PL experience is because we can’t really afford a “miss”. PSR means we pretty much have to buy guaranteed hits if we can.

Howe has turned every player from other leagues into very good players. City and Liverpool have built their teams on players from other leagues. I get the PL experience is safer, but its a little bit tiresome also.

[Shadow Puppets]

4 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Expectant from the owners? Can’t believe that given how they have acted in the last 18 months or so.

General expectancy I think, club… players… fans… media.
 

I mean, it’s evident on this forum all year round. Even if Eddie can’t sign a single player before the end of the window, there’d be people on here calling for his head if we’re not in the top 6 come Xmas. 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2025 by Shadow Puppets

[Shearergol]

Not a single person on this forum will expect a top 6 finish with this current squad, especially after the Isak news.

[Jagten]

4 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

General expectancy I think, club… players… fans… media.
 

I mean, it’s evident on this forum all year round. Even if Eddie can’t sign a single player before the end of the window, there’d be people on here calling for his head if we’re not in the top 6 come Xmas. 

 

 

 

I think there’s another Howe who should maybe go. 

[Shadow Puppets]

2 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

Not a single person on this forum will expect a top 6 finish with this current squad, especially after the Isak news.

You know that’s not true man. 

[Shearergol]

Just now, Shadow Puppets said:

You know that’s not true man. 

Name them 

[Kid Icarus]

You think we'd expect us to be top 6 and calling for Howe's head with no Isak, Osula leading the line and a CL campaign? There'll be the odd knacker that there always is, but I think thats absolute nonsense generally like. We were 12th with Isak at one point last season and those posters stuck out like a sore thumb.

[SUPERTOON]

5 minutes ago, Jagten said:

I think there’s another Howe who should maybe go. 

@JT24

[Shadow Puppets]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

You think we'd expect us to be top 6 and calling for Howe's head with no Isak, Osula leading the line and a CL campaign? There'll be the odd knacker that there always is, but I think thats absolute nonsense generally like. We were 12th with Isak at one point last season and those posters stuck out like a sore thumb.

I didn’t say with no Isak.

 

Assuming the squad stays exactly as it is now (which it won’t), there will be an expectancy of a top 6 finish. Of course there will. Not from everyone, but 25%+ of the fanbase for sure.

The point remains, we can’t afford a miss.

[Kid Icarus]

15 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

I didn’t say with no Isak.

 

Assuming the squad stays exactly as it is now (which it won’t), there will be an expectancy of a top 6 finish. Of course there will. Not from everyone, but 25%+ of the fanbase for sure.

The point remains, we can’t afford a miss.

No signings is a miss by default and that's what we're heading towards without even the potential reward of the non-dead cert risk signings they won't try. And I cannot for the life of me work out why we haven't reduced the amount of target low-risk signings we have in order to ensure we get at least some players in. Our strategy has this 'aim for the moon and you might get the stars' feel to it that absolutely doesn't apply to the circumstances.

 

I admire the optimism and I was with you throughout the Guehi saga, really excited and optimistic about this window, but that window and this window have been undeniably atrocious in just about every way to the extent that I actually feel embarrassed for the people working on these deals at the moment.

 

The steadfast reluctance from some to not only not criticise the club for anything, but mock those who now do is baffling at this point.  

 

 

Edited July 26, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[The Butcher]

24 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

Not a single person on this forum will expect a top 6 finish with this current squad, especially after the Isak news.

Atm we're bottom half at best. We've no striker.

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

47 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

According to one of the agents I speak to, the reason the list appears to lean heavily to PL experience is because we can’t really afford a “miss”. PSR means we pretty much have to buy guaranteed hits if we can.

Are you able to name your agents ? 

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

Just now, RUHRLYASLEEVESUP said:

Are you able to name your agents ? 

Agent ?

[Vedder]

The problem is Premier League experience comes with a premium price tag. We’re seeing good but not great players go for £50m+. If you only shop in this market, you’ll burn through your budget and not have players with potential to move up levels. It’s got to be a balanced approach, for every Elanga we have to be trying to unearth another Bruno on the continent.