It has been revealed what Paul Mitchell told Newcastle United staff during an early summer meeting which didn’t involve Eddie Howe, following reported issues surrounding their relationship.
Rumoured Mitchell and Howe feud at Newcastle
The Magpies may have picked up a credible 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend, bouncing back after the 3-1 defeat away to Fulham, but all is not well away from the pitch at St James’ Park currently.
The relationship between sporting director Mitchell and manager Howe is believed to be strained, to put it lightly, with the pair failing to see eye to eye amid issues regarding Newcastle’s summer transfer business, almost taking little public digs at one another.
It has been claimed recently that the transfer guru could lose his job before the manager, should push come to shove among the board, but there has also been some hope that clear-the-air talks would rectify the issues between them.
Newcastle’s performances on the pitch have been below-par this season, even though their points tally is relatively healthy, and it could certainly be argued that the Mitchell and Howe situation isn’t helping matters at all, failing to bring a togetherness between two of the most high-profile figures at the club.
Fresh Mitchell and Howe revelation at Newcastle
According to a new report from Football Insider, Mitchell told Newcastle staff that he was in charge instead of Howe when he arrived in his role during the summer, in what represents something of a bombshell revelation.
It is claimed that those involved in the meeting were left “stunned” by the former Monaco sporting director’s comments, with the update adding that Howe being absent from the meeting “raised red flags among the staff, with many beginning to question who was truly in charge at St James’ Park”.
This has done little to ease the tension at Newcastle at the moment, at a time when the club desperately need everyone to be pulling in the same direction. As mentioned, the Magpies’ seventh-place position in the Premier League suggests that things are running relatively smoothly, but their unconvincing displays mean they could easily be lower in the table, having arguably been outplayed by the likes of Wolves and Tottenham.
It’s hard to argue against the notion that Newcastle would be performing better if Mitchell and Howe were enjoying a strong working relationship, much like the manager did with former sporting director Dan Ashworth before he moved to Manchester United instead.
In terms of Mitchell’s comments, it is an extremely bold and reckless approach upon arriving at the club, hinting that that he was looking to win the power battle from minute one, but the reaction of the staff involved suggests that his comments didn’t go down too well.
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ByAngus Sinclair Sep 29, 2024
These coming weeks feel pivotal at Newcastle, and if Mitchell and Howe cannot come to a truce, it is surely only a matter of time before one is relieved of their duties.
