Eddie Howe vowed to come back a better manager and the Newcastle United head coach's time out of the game helped him do just that. As well as visiting a number of sporting organisations, including Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool, England and Saracens, Howe replayed every training session recorded during his time with Bournemouth in the top-flight to see what he could have done better.
It did not take Howe long to recognise that Bournemouth's defensive record 'wasn't very good'. The Cherries conceded a whopping 330 goals in their five seasons in the top-flight, after all, which worked out as an average of 66 per season.
Although Howe and his staff have not drastically changed their approach since then, there can be no doubt that they adapted when they took charge of a winless Newcastle side deep in trouble last November. Even Howe, himself, went on to admit that 'Newcastle cannot be Bournemouth'.
