Newcastle appoint ex-Bournemouth boss Howe after Bruce exit

Newcastle, November 9 (BNA): Newcastle United announced today, Monday, the appointment of former Bournemouth coach Eddie Howe as his coach until 2024 after the departure of Steve Bruce last month.

Howe’s first task will be to pull Newcastle out of the relegation zone. The club, which has wealthy new owners but cannot buy any players until January, is second in the standings, five points below the safety zone, having failed to win a league game so far this season, Reuters reported.

Howe, 43, has been out of work since leaving Bournemouth in August 2020 after the south coast club were relegated from the Premier League on the last day of the season.

“It is a great honor to be coach of a club of the stature and history of Newcastle United,” Howe said in a club statement. “It is a very proud day for me and my family.”

“This is a great opportunity, but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I’m excited to step onto the training ground to start working with the players.”

Graeme Jones has served as interim director for the last three games after Bruce’s departure following the club’s 80% acquisition by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund.

Howe was in the stands for the 1-1 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. It will follow his first international break when he visits Brentford St James’ Park on November 20.

Newcastle have five points from 11 games, but Howe is no stranger to relegation battles having been in charge of Bournemouth for more than 450 games in two stints spanning over a decade at Vitality Stadium.

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Appointed in the middle of the 2008-09 season, he kept struggling Bournemouth up front in the Second Division, and avoided relegation to the outside of the league despite losing 17 points amid a crippling debt.

The miraculous escape was followed by three promotions in six years as Howe eventually led them to the top flight in 2015 when they won the championship.

Bournemouth have established themselves in the Premier League under Howe, abandoning the defensive pragmatism common in newly promoted teams to play attractive football.

The club spent five seasons in the First Division and even finished the ninth season in the 2016-2017 season.

“Eddie has been incredibly impressed with our rigorous recruitment process,” said Amanda Staveley, co-owner of Newcastle.

“In addition to his obvious achievements with Bournemouth, where he has had a transformational impact, he is a passionate and dynamic coach with clear ideas about pushing this team and club forward.

“It fits perfectly in what we are trying to build here. We are delighted to welcome Eddy and his staff to St. James’ Park and very much look forward to working together to realize our collective ambitions.”

Villarreal coach Unai Emery has also been linked with the Newcastle job, but the Spaniard has ruled himself out, saying he is fully committed to the club in La Liga.

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