Eddie Howe has always harboured an obstinate streak. During his time in charge of Bournemouth he arranged an 8am press conference on Christmas Day and was unconcerned that it might make him unpopular or appear emotionally unintelligent.
In a very different, rather more important, context, Newcastle’s manager reprised that ability to dig his heels in and resist people-pleasing after the 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge last Sunday. Given Newcastle are Saudi Arabian-controlled and the Gulf Kingdom had just executed 81 men, he knew he would be questioned about Riyadh’s woeful human rights record.
