‘They need to’ - Newcastle United told to copy Sir Alex Ferguson - or face PIF disaster
Former Premier League striker Louis Saha urged Newcastle United to follow Sir Alex Ferguson’s lead following reported unrest at boardroom level.
Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell have moved on from a dismal summer transfer window that saw no major signings head to St James’ Park. While both played down suggestions of a rift, reports claimed all was not well on Tyneside following Mitchell’s tell-all interview with reporters.
On-field performances have dislodged the “civil war” talks in recent weeks, especially since Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City. Howe and Mitchell are also understood to have held clear-the-air talks as the latter prepares for the January transfer window.
Speaking to Crypto Casinos UK, Saha, who played for Newcastle and Manchester United, insisted internal disputes must be kept away from the public spotlight. The Frenchman cited his time at Old Trafford working under legendary manager Ferguson.
“You wouldn’t ever hear Sir Alex speaking negatively about his players in the press,” Saha said. “He protected every one of his players. Every issue was handled in-house. I've never seen anything like this tension between Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell with David Gill and Alex Ferguson.
“Personal things, disagreements, they need to remain confidential and said behind closed doors. They shouldn’t be discussed in the papers. Listen, stability and togetherness bring more than just a harmonious squad, it brings points. The best clubs are the clubs that are stable.
“I look at the best example of a club that I played for and that’s Manchester United. At United, you would never ever hear anything being said about the direction of the club or have Sir Alex Ferguson’s decisions questioned by people on the board or on the sporting side of things.”