Over his time at Newcastle, fans have become accustomed to Eddie Howe’s style when dealing with the media. The 47-year-old is very cerebral, rarely gives much away, doesn’t comment on things outside of the club, and plays most questions with a straight bat.
So, when Arne Slot took another sly dig at Newcastle United in his Frankfurt post-match press conference by insinuating that it was our fault for Alexander Isak’s terrible form at the beginning of his Liverpool career, and called United a “smaller club”, you knew Eddie would be asked about it when he sat down with journalists this morning for his Fulham pre-match press conference.
Slot’s sour semantics
Firstly, there’s no point arguing the content of Slot’s comments. Newcastle United are a “smaller” club than Liverpool. Trophies, global fanbase, ability to pay wages, and even stadium size, all bigger. I don’t think there’s a single Newcastle fan who would debate that.
Semantically, however, Slot’s jibe couldn’t be clearer. He knows that language shapes concepts and leads to different understandings, and he is in classic deflection mode as he flips-flops his position on Isak following his latest non-performance and injury against Frankfurt, all the while hoping Newcastle haven’t had his pants down and sold his side an Andy Carroll-alike dud for £130m.
Not seven days ago, prior to their loss to Man Utd, Slot said “we can judge him [Isak] in a fair way from now on,” because “fitness-wise he is close to the level he should be”, has pleaded for fans to give Isak time, and even changed his team (even removing £400,000-a-week Mo Salah from his side on Wednesday) to try to accommodate the misfiring Swede, and nothing has worked.
All the stranger was that all of this came in the aftermath of his team winning 5-1 to stop a four-game losing streak. Very strange.
Eddie Howe shows his class
Eddie Howe would never get involved in petty word games like the Dutchman has. He has led United with class and dignity since day one.
Unlike Slot, who called Newcastle a “smaller team” when discussing Isak’s pre-season absence and recent groin injury Liverpool, Howe wouldn’t lower himself to criticise others, choosing to talk up his own club instead:
“I don’t think it is wise for me to get involved in those discussions. Alex is no longer at this Football Club. It is best to stay away from it.”
“The (training ground) set-up is here is very good. It is not perfect, there are things to improve and grow.”
“The Owners here have developed the facilities and you can see there is building work going on. Hopefully that will help us be even better in the future.”
“But I have no complaints, we have elite athletes here, many of them, touch wood they are managing pretty well.”
Asked to defend the size of Newcastle by Craig Hope after Slot’s comments, Howe said with a smile, “I don’t have to do that.”
Howe has fielded all the difficult and ridiculous questions, from the Saudi involvement at the club to the Oasis revival. The Head Coach has answered them all in the same considered manner, sticking to his area of expertise, and showing a deft control of the message he wants to get out.
None more so than this summer when he was basically the only voice we heard on club matters as there was literally no-one else in-situ to talk about all the noise that was swirling around the Isak situation.
The gaffer is a class act and, in almost every way, he has been the right person to lead Newcastle during this new era. I do wish Eddie would sometimes call out the shambles that we call refereeing in this country as it is directly related to football, but it’s just not his style, and I’m sure he has a word with the refs in private, or at least sends JT to have a word in his stead.
Let’s move on quickly
Football is an emotional sport and clubs and fans will back their club to the hilt, even if it’s in the wrong. The classic example being Liverpool and its backing/wearing of shirts in support of conformed racist, biter and spitter Luis Suarez.
Perhaps losing in the Carabao Cup final to a “small” team, even though it was the trophy to “kickstart” his dynasty, (despite them being on the verge of winning the Premier League for only the second time in 35 years) has left a bitter taste in Slot’s mouth, although it’s nowhere near as delusional as his (and I’m paraphrasing) “teams have adapted how they play against us, and we cannot play our pressing game, so I don’t wan them to play long balls against us anymore, please, thanks.”
Jokes aside, Slot will claim to have said what he said about Newcastle innocently, and despite his comments rankling with United fans, we should just move on quickly as we all know the best place to do your talking is on the pitch.
💬 “You cannot compare maybe a player that hasn’t played in pre-season at a smaller club than if you go to Liverpool.”
🎙️ Liverpool boss Arne Slot on Alexander Isak’s lack of a pre-season as the striker forced a summer move to Anfield from #NUFC pic.twitter.com/kFkKCDRQlK
— The Chronicle (@ChronicleNUFC) October 23, 2025
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