Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted the club is in limbo as long as its stadium and training ground plans remain unresolved.
The Magpies’ Saudi-backed owners are currently assessing their options over whether to redevelop St James’ Park or move to a new site as they attempt to boost commercial revenue, while behind the scenes, a training base which has been vastly improved remains inferior to those of many of their competitors.
Asked to identify how the club could move forward in the years ahead, Howe said: “Fundamentally looking at the club with a broader view, you look at the training ground, stadium – that part of the club is in limbo at the moment.
“In terms of which direction the club is going to take, that would be a big step forward, to get clarity on that and to take everything into the future in a really positive way. It would have a game-changing effect on everything.
“I am also talking about the Academy in that. The brilliant work that goes on down there, if we can move everything forward in terms of facilities – not that I believe facilities are the be all and end all, they are a great way of setting standards higher and showing your ambition in a clear and strong way – that would be a game-changer when that happens.
“The ambition is there from everyone to make that happen.”
The current hierarchy has invested heavily – to the tune of around £450m net – in the playing squad since buying out Mike Ashley in October 2021, but building the club’s infrastructure has proved more challenging.
However, Howe insists he would rather they got it right than rushed it even if that means he may never see the benefits.
He said: “If there is extra time taken to make the right decisions – and I’m not across the day-to-day decision-making process – so the stadium project is correct and it’s the right one for Newcastle for how ever many years the club is there, then take the extra time.
“It’s the same with the training ground. You need the right site and designs. I would rather it was correct than rushed.
“I know there’s a 99.9 per cent chance that I’m not going to see either in my position, but I’m still passionate about making sure it’s there for the future generations of Newcastle, whether that’s supporters or players.
“The board recognises how important that is too, so I think the ambition and drive is there to do it and work is going on behind the scenes. There just needs to be a bit of patience to make sure it’s the right solution for everybody.”
On the pitch Howe, who will send out his team at Manchester United on Boxing Day, will continue his mission to bring lasting success to Tyneside having reached a significant milestone with March’s Carabao Cup final success.
He said: “The last 12 months as a whole have been unbelievable for us because we finally won a trophy and when I came here, that was the big aim – after staying in the league – to try to win a trophy.”
PA
