Ahead of tonight’s huge Carabao Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge, Eddie Howe sat down with the local press pack to discuss all things Newcastle on Monday morning.
The boss was in good spirits and spoke so well, but I couldn’t help but notice one ridiculous question sent his way by The Guardian’s Louise Taylor, who asked if a part of him would happily lose at Chelsea to improve our Premier League hopes and (get this!) ensure we don’t have to scrap our mid-season training camp in Saudi Arabia…seriously!
Here’s her question in full, followed by Howe’s classy response to what seemed like a pretty farcical question when we’re just a few wins away from Wembley:
Q: Louise Taylor – “Now in January, you’ve got Liverpool away, Aston Villa away and Man City at home, which are games that could have a great baring on your final leagueu position and qualifying for Europe. And you’ve also got the Sunderland FA Cup tie away. So is there not part of you that thinks, ‘I could do with being out of this cup?’. Also…there’s also your warm weather training trip, which you might have to scrap if you stay in (the Carabao Cup).”
A: Eddie Howe – “Errr…Absolutely not. We want the games, we want the competition. We want the excitement of challenging for trophies. That’s where we have to be, not just now but in the future. It’s not fun if it’s easy. We’ve been thrust into the most difficult cup draws. But that’s stretched us and taken us out of our comfort zone. It’s made us improve. Although sometimes you need a bit longer to show that improvement, but no part of me regrets that. It’s a positive – it’s forced us to improve and to be the team we want to be in the long-term, we have to be exposed to those games to get closer.
Howe then continued, discussing his desire to win a trophy after we came up just short least season.
“The dream didn’t turn to reality last season, but maybe this year. It’s our best chance of winning a trophy at the moment, because we’re advanced in the competition and getting down to the serious end of it. That is why this game takes on big importance for us.
“You go back to the last round, at Manchester United, the players stood up and gave an outstanding performance. This will be very similar, and we will need to give more.”
After our long wait for silverware, our European exit last month and last season’s heartbreak at Wembley, there’s not a chance we’re prioritising anything other than Chelsea tonight.
Out the UCL last week, out the Carling Cup this week. Bad times at the toon.
Horrendous club, Howe out!
Bob Frost(Quote)
Still not as bad as losing to Bristol City, still in the championship and appointing Ian Beale as your manager.😂
Laughable club Speakman in
As for the article what do you expect from wheese keys Louise hideous person and a garbage journalist.
Porkpie(Quote)