Eddie Howe has revealed that he has had discussions with Newcastle United's owners about 'various things' but the Magpies' head coach does not expect the hierarchy to come out and face questions about Saudi Arabia's human rights record.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), of course, own an 80% stake in the club and Howe was asked about 81 men being executed in one day in the Kingdom at the weekend after previously being quizzed about the bombing of Yemen. Although Howe was 'well-aware of what's going on around the world', the Newcastle boss stressed he was 'just going to answer questions on the game and on football' following his side's 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Howe faced the media once again on Wednesday, ahead of the trip to Everton, and confirmed for the first time that he had been reading up on geopolitical issues, recognising that part of his job now in 'the modern football management scene is to know what's going on around the world'. The Newcastle boss was asked if he had any guidance from the owners on this and whether he would like chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and part-owners Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben to come out and face these questions.
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"I've had discussions with them about various things," Howe told reporters. "Would I like them to come out? No. They will do what they think is right for the football club and they're also acting in the best interests of Newcastle United like I am. That's for them to do.
"Obviously, I face you guys every week and that's an absolute privilege to do that so I understand that you have to ask me varying questions on various subjects, and I've got no issue in dealing with those."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to raise human rights when he visited Riyadh, the Saudi capital, on Wednesday in a bid to 'build the widest coalition' to stop relying on Russian oil and gas. While this may seem a world away from football matters on Tyneside, the Kingdom's deputy prime minister, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is also the chairman of the PIF.
Howe took a keen interest in world politics as a player and was regularly spotted with a copy of the Times under his arm on away trips. So did the 44-year-old take Saudi Arabia's appalling human rights record into consideration when he was first approached about the Newcastle job last November?
"When you're entering discussions, I'm looking at Newcastle as the club that it is," he said. "I'm looking at the stadium, the supporter base, the team, the league position, the players. That had to be my focus.
"Then, of course, you meet the people behind the scenes - the owners, Amanda, Mehrdad, Yasir - who are brilliant people that I've got a great relationship with and a lot of trust has been built between us.
"The club is owned by people that the Premier League have allowed to own a football club so, from my side, that's as far as it went and then I reviewed my decision based upon the people that I met. As I said, from day one, we've had a great relationship and I'm very proud to manage this football club. It's a very special place."
Gary Neville felt that Howe needed to 'stand up' and answer such questions, particularly when Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has been 'statesman-like' since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government last week. Howe appeared on Monday Night Football during his break from management back in November, 2020 and had no problem with what Neville or fellow pundit Jamie Carragher said earlier this week.
"I respect their opinion and I get on really well with Gary and Jamie," he added. "I've got no issue with what they said but, ultimately, it's my right to say and react in the way that I believe is right for me and my football club so I'll continue to do that."
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