Eddie Howe has responded to Jurgen Klopp after the Liverpool boss’ comments about our perceived spending power; where he suggested funds are limitless thanks to our new owners.
The German sarcastically ‘congratulated’ a Saudi-owned Newcastle last week on having ‘no ceiling’ from a financial perspective, with this coming after sporting director Dan Ashworth discussed the club’s big ambitions during a recent interview.
Speaking today, Howe insists that Ashworth’s comments weren’t interpreted correctly by Klopp, stating that there’s no ceiling to our ambition and what we hope to achieve, but very much a limit on our spending as we battle FFP regulations.
Howe feels that opposition managers must be ‘careful’ with their ‘comments and opinions’ as many do not know the reality of what goes on behind the scenes at Newcastle, saying he felt the need to ‘stand up for my football club’ in light of Klopp’s careless rant last week.
Here’s what the NUFC boss said in responds to the Reds manager today, followed by a full transcript from this section of the press conference:
‘I’m aware that one or two comments might not have been totally accurate and that’s when I have to stand up for my football club.’
‘What Dan meant was there’s no ceiling to our ambition long-term. It’s a difficult one because it’s probably been used in the wrong way [by Klopp].
‘We have huge plans and want to go to places with huge ambitions. But the reality of what we are working towards and working with, there is a ceiling. Financial Fair Play, we’re still in a training ground that’s been renovated, we’re not living the life that is being discussed. When you know the truth of what we’ve done, we are living a very different reality.
‘The club could have gone a totally different way I’m sure, with the takeover and everything that was talked about. But we’ve done it the opposite way. We haven’t splashed the money people maybe thought we would have done initially. Our wage bill is very controlled. We’re trying to do things in a very stable and controlled way. We are a long, long way from where we want to be.
‘Although we have spent money on players (£200million this year), it has not been extravagant or out of sync with the rest of the Premier League. Everyone has to be careful with their comments and opinions.’
