Yasir Al-Rumayyan has warned Eddie Howe and his players not to get complacent following our incredible form over the last 12 months, urging the club to keep pushing after inviting staff to his home in Riyadh earlier this week.
The Mail’s Craig Hope has revealed that Howe, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi were part of a group of almost 100 employees who visited the Newcastle chairman’s home on Monday night, taking the chance to build connections with key figures at the club during our mid-season training camp in the Middle East.
It appears the governor of PIF praised everyone for their efforts but also reminded the team that the hard work can’t stop now we’re third in the league, saying, “Well done, but we want more, we’re very ambitious”.
Head coach Eddie Howe revealed that they were all appreciative of this ‘nice gesture’ and that the chairman was ‘very welcoming and open’ as they discussed their thoughts and visions on the club in his home.
On the experience, Howe said: “It was a special moment for the chairman to welcome us to his home. It wasn’t underestimated by us, it was a really nice gesture. It’s not every day that you have that invitation, so we were humbled to accept it.
“He was really good with us, communicated his thoughts and visions on the future. I really enjoyed spending time with him and his family. He was very welcoming and open, and I’m sure the players feel the same way. He was very good with them. He interacts and talks with them in a really good way.
“I think he’s very much for the team. He wants to acknowledge that and bring everyone together. He speaks really well and honestly, and I’m sure the players appreciated his words. It was, “Well done, but we want more, we’re very ambitious”. I think that’s what the players want to hear.
“We didn’t go too far into the future, just to continue to work as hard as you are, and stick together as a team.
“He’s been really pleased watching the team, how it’s fought for everything. They were team messages, but very effective messages. I think it was an acknowledgement from him to the staff as well. It was just nice for everyone to share that moment.”
This is yet another example of the togetherness – from top to bottom – that is continuing to grow throughout the club ever since last year’s £300m takeover went through, and long may that continue!
