Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has declared that the "long and painful" aftermath of December's Wear-Tyne derby must serve as a powerful motivator ahead of Sunday's highly anticipated return fixture against Sunderland. The Magpies suffered a 1-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light, with an own goal from Nick Woltemade early in the second half sealing their fate, sparking a furious backlash from supporters over both the result and the nature of the performance.
Lingering Anger and a Need for Redemption
Howe openly admits that some of that anger still lingers and that his team let their supporters down on that disappointing day. Now, Newcastle are tasked with reversing that angst and also recovering from a devastating 7-2 defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. The head coach emphasised the delicate emotional balance required heading into such a critical match.
Transforming Pain into Positive Energy
"The fallout of it was long and painful," said Howe. "It certainly did not help us. There is an extra weight with the fixture in the sense of, you know if you don’t perform, there will be a large and painful baggage that goes with you. We don’t want that. It affects future performances and affects the emotion and feeling of the whole city."
However, Howe stressed his preference for a positive approach. "But I would much prefer to go with the positive message. We need to inspire the players, not put fear into them. We want all the positives of the game that can carry us on a new run and a new wave of optimism. So you know you’re going into the game on a knife-edge. In some respects, that can bring out the best in your players. It’s all the positive emotions we want, because it could be a turning point in our season very much for the better."
Addressing Past Failures and Future Standards
While some critics suggested the team did not grasp the magnitude of the derby last time, Howe defended his players' awareness. "I think they did know the enormity of the game. For whatever reason we didn’t perform to our normal levels. There are no excuses on that. We have to take accountability for that."
He elaborated on the psychological preparation needed. "But it’s a very delicate balance with teams and professional athletes. What do you want them to think going into a game? You certainly don’t want them to think, 'We can’t lose?'. We want them to think, 'We’ve got to play at our best levels, I’ve got to execute my best game', all those positive emotions. That’s what we will be trying to flood into the players."
Bridging the Gap to European Elite
Meanwhile, Howe also addressed the significant gulf exposed during the second half at the Nou Camp, where Barcelona scored four unanswered goals. He acknowledged the work required for Newcastle to compete at the highest level in Europe.
"We’ve got a bit of work to do (for the club to be at their level)," he admitted. "Firstly, we have to earn the right to qualify for those tournaments. That in itself is really tough to do when you look at the teams we’re competing with in the Premier League."
"Then, when you compare us to the elite teams in Europe, we have some work to do in all aspects of the football club. It’s nothing that anybody wouldn’t be aware of - we have to raise standards all across the board at the football club. Invariably with that comes with a cost, so everything is inter-linked."
Howe concluded by outlining his personal focus. "But from my side, I’m trying to coach the team and navigate our way through seasons. It’s about elevating standards of behaviour, elevating standards of my work, the coaching staff’s work and passing that on to the players."
