Eddie Howe reveals his key takeaway from meeting with Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan
Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan held a series of meeting during his recent visit to Tyneside.
Eddie Howe has taken “heart” from meetings with chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan after Newcastle United’s owners further underlined their ambition.
Al-Rumayyan, the Magpies’ chairman and governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia who hold an 85% stake in the club, was on Tyneside earlier this week - first watching the 4-3 win over Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park before attending a major meeting at Matfen Hall.
Key figures such as Darren Eales, Paul Mitchell, Peter Silverstone, Brad Miller and Simon Capper were all present, with the future of St James’ Park and a new training facility high on the agenda.
It was Al-Rumayyan’s first visit to Tyneside since the beginning of September.
“Yes, I've had various conversations with him. I think a lot has been discussed at the various board meetings that you mentioned. Probably not for public consumption, I'll leave that.
“I wasn't in all of those meetings, I was in some of them. But I'm sure some positive outcomes and the club will be moving forward.”
“I always take heart from seeing him and talking with him because you see his passion for Newcastle and you see how much he directly cares about everything that's going on here,” Howe added. “So, good conversations. He was in good spirits and enjoyed seeing us win.
“I was very pleased because the ambition and drive to be successful is still very much there from everyone connected with the club."
On the pitch, Howe’s side remain in the mix for Champions League qualification but off the pitch, Newcastle are still some way behind their rivals.
Howe said: “We certainly need - if we are looking to catch the teams above us - to drastically improve everything we are delivering, still.
“That goes right across the board at every department of the football club. We have so much to do to get to the top. It’s not going to happen just by thinking it. It’s not going to happen by willing it. We have to actually deliver it. That takes money, that takes investment, that takes smart thinking and strategic thinking, which I know is going on at the club and then we need to implement it.
“Purely in terms of investment and taking the team forward, of course we have taken a bit of a hit and we understand that and I acknowledge that but it is through no one’s fault and we have to live in the world of the reality. We know that we want to take the team forward again. We are desperate to do that. We have ideas to do that and hopefully we can make that happen in the future.
“In terms of an actual date for that, that is very difficult to predict from my perspective. Definitely, I think if there is a willingness and ideas and bright thinking, we can get there.
“It may take a bit of time because these clubs that we are talking about are way ahead of us in terms of their income but that is all part of the club’s growth and that will take time. I think everyone would acknowledge that.”