Newcastle United manager gives inspirational life advice and reveals what makes a 'successful' Premier League player

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has urged football supporters to “be ready” for any opportunity life presents.

Speaking to the Premier League as part of their Life Advice series, the Toon boss reflected on his own experiences when trying to make the big time. Back in 2008, Howe, aged just 31, took charge of a Bournemouth team in League Two that started the campaign with a 17-point deduction.

Two defeats in his opening games at the helm could have provoked a knee-jerk reaction but the Cherries backed Howe - and the move paid dividends. Bournemouth found themselves in the Premier League within seven seasons and continue to benefit from Howe’s legacy.

The 46-year-old also ended an 18-month hiatus from the game to become Newcastle manager in 2021. With the Saudi-backed era in its infancy, Howe seized the opportunity to uproot his family up north and lead an ambitious project.

Now the Magpies’ boss has called upon fans to do the same should a potentially climatic moment arrive in their life. He told the Premier League: “Be ready for the opportunity that life opens up for you. What I mean by that is there are several moments I can think back to in my life where I was given an opportunity to do something and take my life in a different direction.

“But I needed to be ready to grab the chance. I feel, to this moment, I’ve done that. So when there's been a chance I've grabbed it. You never know what life can throw at you or what direction your life can go in. But if you continually make good decisions, I think eventually you'll get what you deserve.”

Howe also opened up about the pressures on management and what quality makes the best footballers. He added: “When you become a coach, your main trail of thought should be how can I help the players? How can I help this player or whichever player you're working with?

“How can I do something today that gives them a better chance of being successful? So it's that unselfish quality you need. I always think the best coaches that I've seen have that unselfish quality.

“For my players, it’s different qualities (I’m looking for) really. I'm looking for a real inner drive and determination to succeed. Not just for themselves, but for the team.”