Eddie Howe has said it is a challenge for elite managers to make sure their brains are “not contaminated” by the outside noise of high-profile figures such as Rod Stewart and Gary Neville.
The musician Stewart posted a clip on social media of him celebrating on his doorstep when Celtic sacked Wilfried Nancy on Monday, while Ruben Amorim, who lost his job as Manchester United’s head coach the same day, spoke of the difficulty of being in charge with Neville’s opinions holding such influence inside his former club.
Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.
Enable cookiesAllow cookies once
Howe, who is the fourth longest-serving manager in the Premier League, ruled himself out of succeeding Amorim, despite calls from the former United players Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt that he should be the leading contender, as the only English manager to win a major trophy in the past 18 years after Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup triumph last season.
“There is a lot more media and exposure to different opinions,” Howe said when asked about Stewart and Neville’s interference. “I missed Rod, which was a shame.
“The climate for modern managers is difficult. My method is to bunker myself away from it and to ignore it and make sure my brain is not contaminated by stuff that is absolutely irrelevant to me.
“It is focusing on the game and ultimately the players. It is how I can make things better and have better relationships and push people to better performances. Where do we need to improve? It is a constant analysis of how we play.
The opinions of Neville, the Sky Sports pundit and former United defender, were referenced by Amorim on several occasions
JAMES GILL/DANEHOUSE/GETTY IMAGES
“That, for me, will hopefully change the result in a positive way. Getting involved in politics and all the other stuff that’s around won’t help me or the players.”
Howe, 48, was asked if he remains completely committed to his role at Newcastle and he replied: “Yes, absolutely. Nothing has changed from my perspective. I’m 100 per cent here, working as hard as I can, head down, ignoring all the stuff that you guys write, good or bad, because it’s irrelevant.
“As long as I’m happy and able to express myself in the best way that I can to help the team, nothing will change. The most important thing for me is happiness in the role, happiness in the job and the relationships I have with the people around me.
Howe has ruled out the prospect of him becoming Amorim’s long-term replacement at Old Trafford
OWEN HUMPHREYS/PA
“Now that’s not always been consistently good and things can change at any football club, but at the moment I am very happy.
“We have made some great appointments in the roles we needed to fill and as long as I can express myself in the best way possible, the best version of myself to help the players and the club [I’ll stay] because ultimately, for any club to be successful, there has to be unity from top to bottom and a good feeling between everybody.”
Newcastle United v Leeds United
Wednesday, 8.15pm
TV Sky Sports Cricket