Watch Eddie Howe’s last interview as Newcastle manager as Toon boss dropped potential hint at exit

THIS is Eddie Howe’s last interview as Newcastle boss – and the moment he dropped a massive hint at leaving. News broke of Howe’s shock Toon departure less than 12 hours after Toon’s 4-1 friendly loss to Bristol City. Eddie Howe hinted at leaving Newcastle in his final interview on Wednesday Credit: x/newcastle He left less than 12 hours later Credit: x/newcastle Howe, 48, had flown down to Ashton Gate for the pre-season drubbing with his squad on Wednesday night. But the next morning he was OUT. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! After nearly five years in charge, he is set to be replaced by relatively unknown German Matthias Jaissle. Howe’s position has been under pressure for months after he led the club to a drab 12th place Premier League finish. But the Englishman got the backing of Newcastle’s stinking rich Saudi owners. Now he has exited – and in hindsight it was clear to see it coming. Speaking pitchside after the hammering by Championship side City, Howe responded to being asked if he was relishing the fight. He replied: “Every day that I’m Newcastle manager is a great day for me. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Top football travel deals “I absolutely love the football club and that will never change.” One sleep later for most, and Howe was unemployed. After 231 games in charge, Newcastle’s first trophy in 70 years, and the return of Champions League football to St James’ Park, not just once, but twice, a new era is about to start. And going deeper into Howe’s interview, he edged around talking up what was to come in the future. Addressing the “importance of the next week-and-a-half,” when the team are due to travel to Spain for training and some more friendlies, Howe was non-committal. He said: “Yes, a massive period, really. I think this training was always planned to be the decisive part of pre-season, with the internationals back, the whole group back together. “And then no games to distract us. A period of intense training, really hard work for the players. “I think they’ll come out the other side of the training in a much better place.” EDDIE HOWE'S RECORD AT NEWCASTLE EDDIE HOWE will forever be a Newcastle legend after leading the Toon to their first trophy in 70 years. But that Carabao Cup win, and two Champions League qualifications, weren’t enough to keep everyone happy on Tyneside. Here is Howe’s Newcastle record: Premier League 2021-22 – 11th (19th when he took over) 2022-23 – 4th 2023-24 – 7th 2024-25 – 5th 2025-26 – 12th Trophies won Carabao Cup 2024-25 Referencing the players and their hard work – rather than his – perhaps, was a nod to what was about to be revealed. The usually reserved Howe also admitted he did not even know if Bruno Guimaraes – no longer his concern at all – would be coming back from holiday in time to fly out with his current team-mates. Club captain Bruno is keen to jump ship like Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Alexander Isak have, with Arsenal desperate to sign him. Howe simply explained: “That’s a good question. The details I don’t actually know, but I see no reason why that wouldn’t be the case.” And he also said he wasn’t “on top of” the arrival of Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek. “That would be for someone else,” was his reply. Now it literally is. With suggestions that Howe and Newcastle had been ready to make the split for WEEKS but delayed it so a replacement could be found, all of his actions now take a different view entirely. And his last public presser is no exception. Comment now