{"id":302443,"date":"2023-12-15T20:43:13","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T20:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=302443"},"modified":"2023-12-15T20:43:13","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T20:43:13","slug":"we-were-so-close-eddie-howe-proud-of-newcastle-despite-champions-league-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/we-were-so-close-eddie-howe-proud-of-newcastle-despite-champions-league-exit\/","title":{"rendered":"We were so close: Eddie Howe proud of Newcastle despite Champions League exit"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Eddie Howe will look back on his first Champions League campaign and agonise over the \u201cif only\u201d moments which cost Newcastle a place in the last 16.<\/p>\n
The 46-year-old head coach steered the Magpies to within touching distance of the knockout stage only for their qualification hopes to be dashed by Wednesday night\u2019s 2-1 home defeat by AC Milan, during which they were in pole position to progress when they led 1-0.<\/p>\n
Instead of looking forward to the draw for the next round, Howe is instead preparing his injury-hit squad for Saturday\u2019s Premier League clash against Fulham, with the controversial penalty decision which cost them victory at Paris St Germain and their failure to deal with the set-piece which led to Milan\u2019s equaliser prominent in his thoughts.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C01qorkNp-Y<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe were so close, so, so close while being really stretched with our resources, and that\u2019s why I have to compliment the players on what they\u2019ve given.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could have been very different and I just think we should take confidence from the fact that the hardest group, we were so close to achieving it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newcastle secured a Champions League berth for the first time in 20 years courtesy of their fourth-place finish last season, an achievement which arrived barely 18 months into the tenure of their Saudi-backed owners and significantly ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n
Asked if he had spoken to the ownership group and what had been said in the wake of Wednesday night\u2019s disappointment, Howe replied: \u201c I think they see the work that goes on behind closed doors and they have close relationships with the players. We are like a family, we\u2019re very close.<\/p>\n
It was miles ahead of schedule because, in pre-season, no one was talking about top four or Champions League football<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not just me with them, it\u2019s everybody connected with the club. There\u2019s just that feeling that they\u2019re very supportive of the players and understanding of how much they\u2019ve given. They can see the efforts on the pitch, and I think that\u2019s the most important thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I have no regrets over what the players have given over this Champions League campaign. I might have regrets over a couple of other things, but not at all over what the players have given. That\u2019s always the biggest judgement for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re looking at it analytically, the players did incredibly well last year to finish where they did. It was miles ahead of schedule because, in pre-season, no one was talking about top four or Champions League football.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to give the players a lot of credit, so what you can\u2019t then do is give them a lot of credit and then hammer them at the same time because we couldn\u2019t then follow that up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Howe did, however, admit that the exit from Europe could have financial implications for his January transfer budget.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cOf course, going out of Europe will have repercussions financially for us because we\u2019re going to lose revenue on games that we could have had, but that\u2019s all been budgeted for and we\u2019ll see where we stand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Influential full-back Kieran Trippier will miss Saturday\u2019s game through suspension, while midfielder Joe Willock and striker Harvey Barnes, who has suffered a setback in his recovery from a toe injury, are unlikely to figure before the turn of the year.<\/p>\n