Eddie Howe has revealed that he had a 'really good conversation' with Kevin Keegan after getting the Newcastle United job and the Magpies' head coach plans to tap into the club legend's 'knowledge' again in the future.
Howe, like Keegan, in 1992, took over a side in serious danger but the 44-year-old has since overseen a remarkable turnaround. Just as Keegan kept Newcastle up against the odds in the old Second Division, Howe has become the first manager ever to lead a team who had failed to win any of their opening 14 top-flight fixtures to Premier League safety.
January may have been a game changer for Newcastle, but Howe, like Keegan, has united the fan base and dressing room, and that togetherness has been crucial to the club's transformation. The electric atmosphere at St James' Park during the 2-0 win against Arsenal on Monday night even brought back memories of the Entertainers' era, which left its mark on Howe in his late teens.
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All these years later, you can be sure that Keegan was watching on from afar earlier this week. Keegan has not been spotted back at St James' since Mike Ashley sold the club last October, but the former Newcastle boss was in attendance for the Magpies' game against Man City at the Etihad earlier this month with friend Sir Brendan Foster after making the relatively short trip from his home in Hale.
Although Keegan has been linked with a return to the club, as an ambassador, the 71-year-old is simply enjoying spending time with his grandchildren. That has not stopped Keegan passing on some valuable advice to Howe, though.
"I spoke to Kevin when I first got the job," Howe told reporters. "He was one of my first calls. We had a really good conversation.
"He's someone I'll be speaking to again. He's someone I respect. With his association with the club, it would be foolish of me not to tap into his knowledge."
Keegan used to liken managing Newcastle to riding a 'black and white tiger' and you suspect it did not take Howe long to realise what he meant. However, rather than being daunted by that prospect, Howe has embraced it and not only kept Newcastle up but, also, achieved the Magpies' best points total in eight years.
A host of players that Howe inherited have played their part in that turnaround and Martin Dubravka, Emil Krafth, Fabian Schar, Joelinton, Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock and Ryan Fraser have been among those who have improved under the head coach. Howe, like Keegan, has also made use of the transfer market and spent £93m in his first window in charge to bring in Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn, and sign Matt Targett on loan.
Further changes will be made in the coming months, but evolution rather than revolution has been the message coming from the club as the owners look to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules. So will the summer be as intense as that manic 31-day mid-season window was earlier this year?
"Better off asking that after in retrospect because it's very difficult to predict," Howe added. "January was very difficult for a whole host of reasons. It was very intense and I think linked to our league position to be honest.
"It created a necessity to act and to do things and, thankfully, it was very successful but this is a different window. Now we start again, we start afresh, but we have work to do so it will be interesting to see how it pans out."
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