Eddie Howe: Newcastle appoint former Bournemouth boss as new head coach

Howe replaces Steve Bruce, who was sacked last month after the club’s Saudi-led takeover

Eddie Howe is the new man at St James’ Park (Getty)

Eddie Howe has been appointed as Newcastle United head coach. The 43-year-old replaces Steve Bruce, who was sacked last month following the Saudi-led takeover of the Premier League club.

Graeme Jones, who had worked as assistant coach to Bruce since January, has served as caretaker manager since Bruce’s firing, with ex-Arsenal boss Unai Emery turning down the permanent role last week to stay at Villarreal.

Howe has now confirmed his return to coaching 15 months after leaving Bournemouth, having been in the stands for Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on the weekend alongside the club’s new co-owner Amanda Staveley. He has signed a two-and-a-half year contract at St James’ Park.

“It is a great honour to become head coach of a club with the stature and history of Newcastle United,” said Howe. “It is a very proud day for me and my family. This is a wonderful opportunity, but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players.

“I would like to thank the club’s owners for this opportunity and thank the club’s supporters for the incredible welcome they have already given me. I am very excited to begin our journey together.”

Eddie Howe beside Newcastle owner Amanda Staveley at Brighton (PA Wire)

Howe made more than 250 on-pitch appearances for Bournemouth, where he spent the vast majority of his playing career. In December 2006, aged just 29, Howe was named player-coach at the club. When injuries brought his time on the pitch to a premature end the following summer, he remained in a coaching position under Kevin Bond until September 2008.

In 2009, Howe was named head coach of Bournemouth for the first time, a position he held for three years in a spell that saw him achieve promotion to League One.

Howe left the Cherries for Burnley in 2011 but returned in 2012. One year later, he guided Bournemouth to the Championship, before securing promotion to the Premier League in 2015.

Howe left Bournemouth once more at the end of the 2019/20 season, following the club’s relegation to the Championship.

The 43-year-old turned down the chance to coach Celtic in May of this year, with the Scottish club saying in a statement that he would not be joining “for reasons [out of] both his and Celtic’s control”.

Staveley said: “We have been incredibly impressed by Eddie through what has been a rigorous recruitment process. As well as his obvious achievements with AFC Bournemouth, where he had a transformational impact, he is a passionate and dynamic coach who has clear ideas about taking this team and club forward.

“He is a great fit for what we are trying to build here. We are delighted to welcome Eddie and his staff to St James’ Park and very much look forward to working together towards our collective ambitions.”