Howe insists he remains the right man to lead Newcastle despite pressure

• Eddie Howe said he would leave Newcastle United if he felt he was no longer the right person to lead the club.
• Newcastle sit 12th after one win in eight matches, with supporters voicing frustration after defeat by Brentford.
• Howe said his focus remains on restoring results and maintaining standards within the squad.

Eddie Howe said he would step aside as Newcastle United head coach if he believed he was no longer the right person to lead the club.

Newcastle were booed off at St James’ Park after a 3-2 defeat against Brentford on Saturday. The result left them 12th in the Premier League and extended a run of one win in eight matches across all competitions.

Howe said after the game that he was not performing to the level he expects. Speaking two days later, he said his belief in his role remains firm.

“That’s why I’m sitting here,” Howe said ahead of Tuesday’s match at Tottenham Hotspur. “If there was doubt, I wouldn’t be, the club matters more than anything. I have never put myself before it.”

He said stepping aside would be the only option if he felt unable to lead the squad.

“If I didn’t think I was the correct man to take the team forward, and I couldn’t give the players what they need, then I would let someone else do it,” he said.

Howe retains the backing of the club’s senior figures despite recent results. He led Newcastle to a Carabao Cup triumph last season, ending a 70 year wait for a major domestic trophy, and has guided them into the Champions League twice since his appointment in 2021.

Newcastle face Qarabag in the Champions League with qualification for the last 16 at stake. An FA Cup fourth round tie against Aston Villa follows on Saturday.

Howe said the current period ranks among the most difficult of his time at the club.

“I have been through these moments many times before,” he said. “Those experiences help in times like this.”

He said collective commitment within the squad remains central to reversing the slide.

“We need the fight from everyone,” Howe said. “If that resolve is there, things can change very quickly. The momentum is against us right now, yet it can shift within a couple of games.”