A former member of Eddie Howe's Bournemouth staff has revealed he had no doubt the ex-Cherries boss would be a hit on Tyneside.
Steve Fletcher, who is still coaching with the Cherries played and coached under Howe during his time on the south coast.
The 50-year-old was part of Howe's side that pulled off the great escape back in the 2008/09 campaign, which saw Bournemouth overcome a -17 points penalty to achieve survival in League Two.
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From there, Bournemouth went on one of the most incredible runs English football has ever seen, going from potential relegation from League Two in 2009 to a Premier League side just six seasons later. It was an incredible achievement and one which had Howe's fingerprints all over it.
Now at Newcastle United after being appointed the Magpies boss in November 2021, Howe welcomes his former side to St James' Park on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup round of 16. And his former backroom staffer Fletcher admits while he did not see Newcastle sitting third in the Premier League this early in Howe's tenure, he is not surprised by the impact the ex-Cherries boss has had on Tyneside.
"No, I never had a doubt he would transform the club the way he has… I didn’t think they’d be sitting third in the Premier League," said Fletcher. "But that speaks measures of the man. What he is and what he’s about and what he stands for.
"All the professionalism he has around him. When he was here, those little half per cents that people brush under the carpet – he used to go mad with because he said all those half per cents mount up and he’s right. It took me a while to understand his thought process behind things. He was so meticulous, hardworking and he was very astute. He knew what he wanted. He was driven.
“He plays to his strengths and he knows what he wants and there’s one thing I can say about Eddie Howe now. He sticks by his laurels, what he’s about. He has a philosophy and ethos and everybody – I mean everybody at that football club has to buy into it. He is reaping his rewards now and it’s no shock to me.”
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