SOCCER: Newcastle CEO gives Howe tepid support after painful losses

Newcastle United chief executive David Hopkinson offered cautious support for manager Eddie Howe on Tuesday following a 2-1 derby defeat to rivals Sunderland, a loss that saw fans boo the team off the pitch.

The defeat left Newcastle in 12th place in the Premier League just before the international break, as promoted Sunderland completed a league double over their neighbors. The setback came only days after Newcastle suffered a humiliating 7-2 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

“I don't have a stance on his future. What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt,” Hopkinson told reporters. “We take it seriously. There's nothing within us that thinks, 'Well, it's just three points and on we go.' It has resonated. I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch recently with Eddie and we talked through a multitude of things, including that.”

Howe, who signed a long-term contract in 2022, has seven Premier League games left to improve Newcastle's standing and push for European competition next season. Currently, the Magpies sit six points behind sixth-placed Chelsea.

Since joining Newcastle in 2021, Howe has led the team to Champions League qualification twice and helped end the club’s 70-year trophy drought with last season’s League Cup win.

“Eddie is our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here, and we will talk about the future when it's time,” Hopkinson added. “Right now, we're focused on this season's competition.”

Off the pitch, Newcastle reported record revenues of £335.3 million ($443 million) for the year ending June 2025. Commercial income rose 44% despite no European competition, and the club posted a profit after tax of £34.7 million. -Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters