Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales has warned the Football Association that the Saudi Arabian club will fight to retain Eddie Howe and remain loyal to their “favorite” manager.
Howe is top of the FA’s shortlist to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager and it is understood his Newcastle contract contains a £5m release clause, but Iles believes the 46-year-old of players will miss out on the daily challenges of club management.
“I won’t go into the details of Eddie’s contract, but he signed a multi-year contract that was extended last summer,” he said. “He is our employee and we have no plans to release Eddie.
“He’s a top manager, he’s the right manager at the right moment for Newcastle United. That’s the manager we want to lead the club [foreseeable] future. We hope that, with Eddie, we can find a long-term coach.
“He signed a long-term contract, he loves the day-to-day aspects of club football and we have an exciting project here in terms of the commitment of ownership and the journey we want to continue. We are very excited about the upcoming season. .
Eales was asked whether Newcastle would make an effort to retain Howe and expected him to take over as coach at the start of the season. “Absolutely,” he said. “Eddie is a great manager and we have full confidence in him.”
Howe has made no secret of his desire to one day coach England in the past but Newcastle hope, for now at least, the chance to win trophies on Tyneside and lead the side back to the Champions League will keep him at St James’s. . Even so, Eales admitted he and Howe had “not discussed the England job recently”.
Howe remained silent on the issue during Newcastle’s pre-training camp in Germany, sparking concerns within Newcastle that the former Bournemouth boss might find it difficult to turn down the England squad. Iles is aware of this but stressed that poaching Steve Bruce’s successor from St James’ Park would be expensive: “In that case, compensation has to be paid.”
Howe worked closely with former Newcastle partner and director Amanda Staveley, whose recent departure will almost certainly provide encouragement to the FA. However, Iles stressed that the club are united in their desire to keep him.
“Eddie did a great job for us,” he said. “Starting from the 19th [when he took over in November 2021] To finish 11th in the Premier League at the end of that season and then to be in the Champions League the next season was amazing,” he said. “Eddie is very hands-on in terms of man management, on the pitch. He is a great player developer. He understands the psychology of the club, Newcastle and the fans.
“For us, he’s exactly the right person for Newcastle United’s plans and that’s why we’re committed to a long-term deal with him. That’s why we think he’s the right person for Newcastle United. We love him. We know Eddie He is a great coach who can lead us to achieve great things.
Still, Iles acknowledged that he and the Saudis have a “succession plan” if Howe leaves. “It’s one of those things that you never want to use,” he said.
