Newcastle United back to work as sporting director Dan…

Newcastle United back to work as sporting director Dan Ashworth faces up to 'unique challenge'

Newcastle United players are already back to work after a two-week break for the World Cup.

United sporting director Dan Ashworth has planned a "mini pre-season" along with Eddie Howe and his backroom team with the non-World Cup stars returning to Benton then flying out to Saudi Arabia next Sunday. In Riyadh, they will face a warm weather training camp and a friendly against Al-Hilal.

United will return to domestic action with a League Cup fourth round clash against AFC Bournemouth on December 21. And there first game back in the Premier League will be the trip to Leicester City on Boxing Day.

Ashworth said: "We’ve front-loaded the season a little bit, so it’s quite an intensive season for all Premier League clubs with more games than there would have been last year.

"So it’s important to give the players a bit of a break, and then it’s back into almost like a mini pre-season, if you like. So it’s back in reconditioning, some games, and getting the players ready. The majority of it will take place at the training ground.

“League One and League Two don’t have a break. Championship do have a break, although it’s less of a break. It’s not too dissimilar to pre-season, so Championship starts a week before us."

However, Newcastle must work day by day in terms of when their returning England trio are back while Fabian Schar and Bruno Guimaraes are also still involved at the tournament with Switzerland and Brazil respectively. Ashworth knows United must simply wait and hope they are back in good condition.

Ashworth said: "What’s complicated it is that some of the player will be at the World Cup, and you don’t know their return date. So if they get to the final, the return date is a week before the Leicester game.

"If those players get knocked out in the group stages, the return date is week three of our break, so could have players dropping in at that stage. Some of them might have played in three of their games, some of them might not have played a minute of the World Cup. They were part of the squad. They’re coming back in different conditions.

"Whichever nations get to the final, if we have players playing for that nation, I think it’s unlikely that they’re going to be available for that cup game. It’s a unique season. It’s part of the challenge."

Newcastle United back to work as sporting director Dan Ashworth faces up to 'unique challenge'

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