Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe retains the full backing of the club’s Saudi chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, whose only response to the team’s difficult start to the season has been to ask what additional help he can provide.
In a repeat of the comments he made during the lowest point of Howe’s time on Tyneside, in the aftermath of an FA Cup defeat to Cambridge United back in January 2022, Al-Rumayyan has once again offered his full support to both the manager and the board he entrusts to run the club on a day-to-day basis.
One of the great unknowns since the Saudi takeover is how the Public Investment Fund (PIF) would react during a tricky spell for the team, but there is a sense of calm behind the scenes at St James’ Park led by the majority stakeholders.
Rather than look to apportion blame, Al-Rumayyan has taken counsel from other board members and there is a determination to protect Howe from unwanted and unnecessary pressure in his second full season as Newcastle manager.
Newcastle have lost three out of their four games so far and went into the international break on the back of a sobering 3-1 defeat at Brighton.
They only suffered five league defeats last season and the slow start to the campaign means there are more difficult questions being asked of Howe and the players.
But, crucially, the people running the club are well aware of the fact there was always likely to be a drop off this season, with chief executive Darren Eales, director or football Dan Ashworth, as well as co-owner Amanda Staveley, all stressing at board meetings over the summer this season would be far more difficult than the last.
It has been pointed out to Al-Rumayyan that teams who unexpectedly qualify for the Champions League - as Newcastle did - on average, suffer a fall of eight positions in the league the following campaign.
That could see the Newcastle drop as low as 12th in the table and while that is not wanted or desirable, the point is that Howe will be given time and unflinching support by those above him - even if things get tough in terms of outside noise and pressure.
Telegraph Sport also understands that Newcastle’s recruitment was designed with the long term future of the club in mind rather than just this season’s results. In signing the 20-year-old Tino Livramento, 19-year-old Lewis Hall and the 23-year-old Sandro Tonali, the hierarchy deliberately focused on signing players who would improve under Howe over a prolonged period of time.
The view has always been there could be short term pain, for long term gain. Nobody has felt the need to contact Howe directly to reassure him since the defeat to Brighton, but it is hoped the 45-year-old understands he has the complete backing of the board who want him to remain as manager long term.
Newcastle go into a fascinating run of three games with the home match against Brentford on Saturday followed by their opening Champions League group game against AC Milan and a trip to newly promoted Sheffield United next week.
