Newcastle United had contingency plan for Howe exit for nine months

Newcastle United’s sporting director, Ross Wilson, has confirmed the club spent up to nine months preparing for the departure of former head coach Eddie Howe, insisting the transition was orderly rather than chaotic.

Howe, who ended Newcastle’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by lifting the Carabao Cup in 2025, stepped down in July after nearly five years at the club. Although the manager had initially planned to continue for the upcoming season, he ultimately decided to take a break, citing that it was in the best interests of all parties involved.

The summer marked a period of significant change for the Magpies, with several key players departing. While the club did not anticipate Howe leaving at that specific time, Wilson emphasized that leadership had a robust contingency plan. This preparation led directly to the appointment of Matthias Jaissle as the new head coach.

“We always knew where we were going to go,” Wilson told reporters. “That doesn’t mean we were always going to Matthias, but he was always part of our planning. Part of our responsibility as leaders of the club is to be prepared and Eddie is an exceptionally talented coach. That means he was probably going to do something else at some point so we had to be prepared for that.”

Newcastle consulted multiple candidates before selecting Jaissle, who had previously worked at Red Bull Salzburg and joined from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. The Scot, appointed in October, revealed he had been mentally preparing for a managerial change for eight or nine months in the background.

Club hierarchy sought a successor who could build upon Howe’s foundations with an aggressive, high-pressing style. Jaissle’s track record of developing younger players aligned with Newcastle’s strategy of targeting signings aged 24 and under. Following their initial meeting, chief executive David Hopkinson reportedly told Jaissle he sounded “really excited about this one.” Wilson admitted upon reflection that he sensed it was the right fit, stating, “I think this is it.”

Under Jaissle, Newcastle remain unbeaten in their first four games across all competitions. However, only three of the club’s eight summer signings—Lukas Hornicek, Amar Dedic, and Nico Gonzalez—started in the recent 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, highlighting the ongoing “transition phase” for new arrivals.

While Newcastle have forecasted various financial scenarios based on league positions, Wilson confirmed there is no specific public target for Jaissle’s first campaign. Hopkinson reiterated the long-term ambition to “consistently and credibly compete” for top honors, stressing the importance of complying with UEFA financial regulations following a recent settlement breach.

The club aims to boost revenues by 50% by 2030, primarily through sponsorship deals, while continuing to trade players to reinvest in the squad. Wilson acknowledged that while the departures of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham were anticipated, the loss of Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal was not planned. Additionally, top targets Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi joined Liverpool and Aston Villa, respectively.

Despite these setbacks, Wilson maintained that the majority of the window operations were executed according to plan. “Clearly we were disappointed a couple of times but, again, that’s normal,” he said. “No club goes into the window and reaches the end getting every target they set out to get. If they say they did, it is a lie.”