Former Newcastle United transfer consultant Nick Hammond has given his insight into the owners' long-term plans for the club. Elsewhere, January signing Kieran Trippier has provided a fresh update on his recovery from injury.
Here are your Newcastle United headlines for April 6:
Hammond on 'long-term plan'
Newcastle United's owners have a 'long-term plan' but Nick Hammond has revealed that the hierarchy turned to him because they needed someone who had experience in 'navigating through the complexities' of the January transfer window.
Hammond provided a consultancy service in the run-up to an intense mid-season trading period after being sounded out by the hierarchy, who were keen to tap into the former technical director's experience ahead of their first window in charge. Newcastle, after all, did not have a sporting director at the time - Dan Ashworth remains on gardening leave at Brighton - and Hammond previously provided a consultancy service at Celtic during the summer of 2019.
Among those who backed 'a very good move by the club' at the time was Alan Pardew. Pardew worked with Hammond at West Brom and Reading, and the former Newcastle boss previously told ChronicleLive that the 54-year-old was a 'true, experienced and honest operator'.
It fell to Hammond to do the checks and balances in the background at Newcastle ahead of the window opening and the Londoner also offered his opinion on targets who had already been identified. Newcastle went on to sign Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Matt Targett (on loan), and Hammond relished being involved in the build-up.
Tottenham 'pain'
Eddie Howe wants Newcastle United to get back to the type of approach that produced a nine-game unbeaten run earlier in the season.
Three successive defeats have since unfolded and while three consecutive home games are next for the Magpies, Newcastle still face three sides, in Wolves, Leicester and Crystal Palace, that have their sights set on a top 10 finish. For Howe, though, he knows that only a switch in outlook will get his players back to winning ways.
Dressing room response
Eddie Howe has relayed the message he gave his players in the dressing room after the 5-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend. Emphasis has already turned to Friday night's encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James' Park but Howe is keen to keep one of the season's toughest days in some type of context.
After a second half collapse, the mood was understandably down in the dressing room after the game but Howe opted not to rip into his players. Instead, he reminded them of the standards he set on his arrival in November and asked for focus on the season-defining series of home matches back on Tyneside this week.
Trippier update
Kieran Trippier has taken to social media to update Newcastle United fans on his injury rehabilitation. The Magpies defender underwent surgery to mend a fractured fifth metatarsal, an injury picked up in Newcastle's win over Aston Villa.
His arrival on Tyneside was dubbed one of the signings of the season, with Trippier having a huge impact both on and off the pitch. Many pundits thought his injury would coincide with a downturn in form for Newcastle, but that wasn't the case.
Eddie Howe said last week that Trippier's injury was not healing as well as first hoped but the Magpies defender would still play before the season is finished. The England international had originally been expected back at the end of the month.
Ginola's blueprint
That Newcastle United's co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi were sat around table with David Ginola at all shows how far the club has come in a short space of time.
The flamboyant Frenchman's comments were once unwelcome at St James' Park and frowned upon by the powers that be at United. After Steve Harper's testimonial, Ginola stood in the club's Milburn Stand reception and chatted to journalists about what was needed on Tyneside. That was back in 2013.
Ginola made very similar sentiments to his candid Super Sunday rant after the Spurs defeat nine years ago. Back then, after holding court with football writers, he concluded, while pointing upstairs the boardroom, with: "But, it depends on them".
Lascelles on takeover transformation
Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles believes the club is going in the ‘right direction’ under its new owners. Six months since the Saudi-led consortium finally completed the deal with Mike Ashley, the change in the mood around the club is notable.
In the time since the deal was signed off, Newcastle have moved out and away from the relegation zone and showed their financial muscle in the transfer window with the signings of five. Eddie Howe was appointed in the weeks after the takeover, and Lascelles admits it is now a different club to captain.
“There is a big mentality shift in terms of what we want,” Lascelles said. “We go into every game now wanting the three points, even when we go down to Chelsea, we aren’t going there to sit back and hope to get a draw.
Barton on Anderson
Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton has made the surprising admission that Newcastle United prospect Elliot Anderson was not his first-choice target. The promising attacking midfielder has made an impressive start to life with the League Two side since signing on loan in January.
Anderson has already registered three goals and three assists with Rovers, and Magpies boss Eddie Howe has disclosed Championship clubs have already declared their interest in a temporary move next season. Barton admits his side will need to secure promotion to stand a chance of keeping the loanee beyond the summer.
Foodbank milestone
Newcastle United fans and Jamie Reuben have been praised for their partnership as they close in on breaking a fundraising landmark for the NUFC Fans Foodbank. The home clash against Wolves this Friday could see the £100,000 barrier broken thanks to the supporters’ donations.
Just over £48,000 has been collected by volunteers on match-days, and that total has been matched by The Reuben Foundation - meaning the charity is just a few thousand pounds away from collecting a six-figure sum in just six months. Breaking that total could come just a day after the anniversary of the takeover backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, and led by Reuben and Amanda Staveley.
Langley on owners
Newcastle United's owners have shown a 'genuine care' in wanting to develop the club and have established 'open and honest' communication with staff.
That is according to Becky Langley, the manager of Newcastle Women, who will proudly lead her side out at St James' Park next month on what will be a historic occasion for the Lady Magpies. That final game of the season against Barnsley on May 1 will be the first time that Newcastle Women have ever played at St James' and Langley will hope the afternoon ends with her side as FA Women's National League Division One North champions.
Getting the chance to play at St James' was an unimaginable prospect in the Ashley era, but the hierarchy want women's football to be moved back into the heart of the club and Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi have met the team and attended a number of games. As well as making a vow to pay the players as professionals, the owners want to help the women's team move up the leagues and ensure the Lady Magpies are based at an all-encompassing site when a new training ground is eventually built, which will have been music to Langley's ears.
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