Newcastle United and Paul Mitchell have not hidden away after a testing summer.
Sitting down with reporters at St James’ Park on Wednesday, the sporting director fronted up and discussed the club’s failure to improve their first XI, his relationship with Eddie Howe and those links to the England job, as well as the club’s overall recruitment strategy.
Mitchell was speaking after a window that Alan Shearer, Newcastle’s record goalscorer, described as “embarrassing”, a verdict which appears to have struck a chord with supporters. A survey of fans conducted by The Athletic has revealed strong disenchantment with the club’s business and where it leaves them (more on that below).
Here, Newcastle writer Chris Waugh unpicks Mitchell’s comments and analyses his answers.
His verdict on the summer window — and setting ‘precedents’
Mitchell did not shy away from any topics put to him. He addressed them all — but that does not necessarily mean he gave definitive answers. There was no one-word response or short reply when it was put to him that the transfer window was a “failure”.
“There are things we got wrong in our strategy, for sure,” Mitchell said. “If we could have signed a player that we actively felt could make a really good squad better, would we? Of course we would have done.”
On this issue, Newcastle fans are overwhelmingly negative, with more than 80 per cent of our survey-takers declaring themselves either unhappy or very unhappy with the club’s lack of significant signings.
The Marc Guehi saga dominated Newcastle’s summer, with their month-long pursuit ending in failure. But Mitchell — who repeatedly stressed that, because he arrived on July 4, he largely acted in “a supporting role” to a “pre-existing strategy” — insisted the approach was one that had been agreed collectively.
Mitchell admitted he “would have been far more comfortable” if he had joined sooner, “but my job was just to support so I didn’t actually disturb, rightly or wrongly, our direction of travel” in the window. It risks coming across as an excuse, but was his way of trying to explain exactly what happened.
“My learning is that coming in, in a pre-arranged strategy, is hard,” he said. “You ultimately then find yourself supporting, more than driving elements.”
Howe had signed off on all of the targets and did not merely want an alternative centre-back for the sake of it, he wanted one who would materially improve his XI. Without naming the player, Mitchell was clear Guehi was the centre-back that Howe felt could make a difference to his side, even if other targets were ratified by the head coach. Even so, Mitchell implied he wants Newcastle to widen their scope in the market in future.
“Eddie was very clear, and it’s not up to me after seven weeks to say, ‘We’ll do this and that’, because I’m in a supporting role,” Mitchell said. “Were there options? Of course there were, as that’s the responsibility of the department and Newcastle.
“That’s why we ended up where we did. It was that player, or he felt he was comfortable with the quality we have. You can be on multiple deals at any one time, the focus doesn’t have to be that narrow. We probably were too narrow but, coming in mid-July, it’s not my strategy to control, it’s my strategy to support.
“But there was no player that he (Howe) wasn’t part of deciding and saying, ‘That’s the guy I want’.”
Eddie Howe led Newcastle to the Champions League via their 2022-23 league position but they missed out on Europe altogether for this season (Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
Newcastle are adamant they stopped bidding for Guehi long before supposed further offers were leaking out and, while Mitchell never named the player or Crystal Palace, he stressed that contact continued until the final few days of the window in the hope the price would come down.
Sven Botman is due back in December, according to Mitchell, and Jamaal Lascelles should return at a similar stage, so Newcastle do have centre-backs on their books, even if they are unavailable for another few months.
Interestingly, behind the scenes, Mitchell has been preaching the need for Newcastle to make a statement to the market that they will not be held to ransom. The sporting director never expressly said he felt Newcastle had overpaid for players previously, but seemingly feels they did, and he wanted to send a message that the club will walk away from inflated deals, rather than fork out a premium in the future, too.
“The (Newcastle tax) was a real thing,” Mitchell said. “Is there a point of value for every single player and did this football club need to draw a line in the sand of, ‘We’re not going to overpay’?
“It’s about setting precedents to the market that we will pay fair value for the right profile. It should not be lobbied against ambition because if we just spend, spend, spend, spend once again, we become accountable to that by penalties, fines and points deductions and that isn’t good leadership, that isn’t being a good custodian of the club, that isn’t taking your role responsibly — you’re being negligent. That is only for one thing, it’s for your ego. We’re not going to do that.”
Regardless, supporters do not believe Howe has been handed an improved squad. Only 7.5 per cent of our survey respondents believe Newcastle are in a stronger position than they were at the end of last season, with 45.6 per cent saying the team is now weaker and 46.9 per cent saying there has been no change, which in itself represents a form of inertia.
One of the least convincing arguments Mitchell made was his insistence that Newcastle have “added value” this summer if you “consider the bigger picture”. He compares Newcastle favourably to Monaco who, when he arrived, needed a “total rebuild”, whereas the foundations are already in place on Tyneside.
Referencing Lewis Hall’s permanent deal, Sandro Tonali’s return from suspension, the “strategic investment” in William Osula and Lloyd Kelly’s arrival, Mitchell attempted to argue that Newcastle’s strategic squad planning is taking shape, yet that does not aid Howe now.
To do so in the future, though, Mitchell knows Newcastle must become better sellers. Aside from Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson, Newcastle failed to offload anyone for a decent fee, despite Miguel Almiron, Martin Dubravka and Callum Wilson being among those available.
Given Newcastle’s near-brush with the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) this summer, Mitchell appeared astounded that the club have not tweaked their trading approach before.
“We didn’t have the sales window we thought we would have, and we have to look at that strategy as well,” he said. “You look at the money we have invested up to this point, £250million ($328.6m) net. It’s a lot of money and we haven’t sold a player during that time, barring what we were forced to do through PSR.”
Ultimately, Mitchell’s defence of his first window is that he has inherited a club that spent beyond its PSR allowance previously and he would not countenance a repeat. In his view, not signing Guehi for an exorbitant fee was in the club’s long-term interests, though he never quite adequately justifies why an alternative did not arrive beyond referencing the “predetermined strategy”.
“Because of PSR you don’t have the luxury of going ‘big signing, big signing’,” says Mitchell. “You have to make the decision of where you invest with the long-term view in mind.
“Would it have been easier to sit in front of you all with hallmark signings that cost a load of money? Of course it would. But ultimately having them at the detriment of Newcastle’s ability to grow and high strategic ambitions for Paul Mitchell’s glorification, that’s not the job I’m paid to do. I’m paid to do the job in the short, the medium and the long term.”
Transfer strategy — and what needs to change
“Is it fit for purpose in the modern game, with the modern challenges?”
Whether intentional or otherwise, Mitchell was quietly scathing in his assessment of what he has inherited. He did not reference anyone specifically, but Mitchell’s critique did not reflect well on Dan Ashworth, the sporting director who left for Manchester United.
Although Mitchell did not like joining mid-window, he sees it as beneficial for his role longer-term because he now knows what it will take to make Newcastle a “sustainable high performer”.
“My job is to get us in five years’ time to our ambition,” Mitchell says. “We have to be smarter, more intelligent.”
Most specifically, Mitchell — whose role is “90 per cent recruitment” according to Darren Eales, the CEO — intends to overhaul Newcastle’s scouting practices. Howe has pushed the club to modernise and become more scientific in their recruitment processes, which is part of the reason why a sporting director with Mitchell’s profile was sought.
“We looked at the window. There were targets. Could there have been more? I would say potentially,” Mitchell says. “Do we have to look at the way we recruit and scout and also do we have to look where we do? Because the market is complicated and we have seen the impact PSR has had.
“Should our scouting and recruitment be driven more extensively with a wider-reaching net? Of course it needs to be, and that’s the responsibility of me, the scouting team, the recruitment team and Eddie. To do that, to look at that. Is it fit for purpose?”
One of the criticisms levelled at Howe by some supporters — and rejected by the head coach — is that he prefers Premier League additions. Howe would contest that Newcastle’s recruitment team hold far greater data and analysis of domestic and European targets than of those from further afield, and that he would acquire more players from elsewhere if similar levels of information were available to him.
Evidently, Mitchell wants to provide that for his head coach, as he plans for Newcastle to have more of a “global vision of players who we can sign” so they can take advantage of “finding undervalued talents at a certain age profile”.
“I wouldn’t say too much because we’ve signed players from other leagues at great cost,” Mitchell said when asked if he feels Newcastle have been too Premier League-centric in their recruitment. “It’s normal for domestic clubs to look first domestically. There probably needs to be more of a balance at looking externally and globally, to stretch our radius.”
The obvious question is whether Howe himself is content with that tweaked approach, and Mitchell seemed confident the head coach will be. Referencing that Newcastle were facing “quite a big (PSR) hole” in June, Mitchell feels Howe will be receptive to a more economically-savvy strategy.
“Eddie is very smart and I think he knows there needs to be evolution,” said Mitchell. “It’s a collective responsibility between me and him to understand: are there other areas we can look at to bring those good players to his team to be coached by him.”
Part of the reason why Mitchell would not give a conclusive verdict on the summer window is he analyses a club’s success over “three-year cycles”. In his view, a club should bring in an average of six players a season, meaning the majority of the squad can be refreshed organically every few years.
Mitchell’s first summer was hardly a resounding success but, having taken what he describes as “learnings” from it, the sporting director appears to be signposting far more active windows in January and beyond.
PIF ambition, changing timescales and Al-Rumayyan’s vision
If the immediate post-takeover message was one of boundless ambitions and an assault on the Premier League title within five to 10 years, Mitchell has joined Eales and Howe in revising that timescale. PSR has altered — and most importantly significantly extended — the blueprint.
Regardless, Newcastle supporters questioning the continued commitment of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the club’s 85 per cent majority owners, would be wrong to do so, Mitchell insisted. Rather, they want to take the men’s and women’s teams to the very top, as well as have “best in class” operators across the club and top-class infrastructure, plus a world-renowned academy.
“I have a few more grey hairs because of the level of ambition that we actually have,” said Mitchell, having met with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the club chairman, on Sunday following Newcastle’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur. “He’s super ambitious and he wants us to perform at No 1 level.”
What the exact timeframe is for Newcastle to reach the top remains unclear. It is something that the hierarchy must determine internally, before they will try to communicate that reset to supporters.
“That’s the phase of discussion we’re having now,” Mitchell said. “You’ve got to align internally to set the right expectations along the right timeline, then you’ve got to externally communicate that as well.”
Critically, Mitchell believes PIF recognises the limiting effect PSR has had on Newcastle’s rapid plan for growth. Rather than be deterred by that, PIF is embracing the need to change approach, he claimed.
“He (Al-Rumayyan) can see that the club is growing, but he’s smart enough to know it’s moved very quickly over a very short period of time,” Mitchell added. “He knows infrastructure is important. He knows people’s IPs are important. He knows a higher overarching framework and strategy is crucial to get to where we want to get to. Using terminology like that shows there’s a plan and patience.”
Howe’s future, England links — and their working relationship
During Newcastle’s pre-season training camp in Germany — shortly after Mitchell’s appointment — Howe detailed the uncertainty he felt following the departure of co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi and the club’s desperate scramble to hit their PSR targets.
While Howe and his team have reached the first international break unbeaten in all competitions, it remained the “most difficult” window of the head coach’s career. According to our survey, 90 per cent of supporters believe he was not backed enough this summer, even if around half of that number give the caveat that PSR means it “isn’t entirely the club’s fault”.
Howe signalled in July that his own “happiness” was key to his longevity at Newcastle and, following a difficult window, clearly the head coach has not been given everything he desired.
Mitchell, though, is adamant the “relationships” and “boundaries” Howe spoke about are actively being worked on. In fact, he is confident that, as a pair, they have a “commonality” of vision.
“The way we see the game, we’re very aggressive, that’s the way I like the team to play as well,” Mitchell said. “The types of signings — very physical, dynamic but must be able to use the ball to a certain level. We’ve had some really good conversations. It’s a working relationship and it does take time. It has to develop trust within it. I’ve really enjoyed the interaction and we’re growing to work and learn together. I’m super positive because I can see why we can align.”
Curiously, while Howe has suggested publicly that he was “not getting regular updates” on the exact status of Newcastle’s summer transfer deals during what he described as his most “hands-off” window, Mitchell claimed the pair speak daily, often having hour-long phone conversations.
“This idea that me and Eddie hadn’t spoken all the way through the transfer window was false,” Mitchell said. “All the way right up to the last minute, he was fully updated and involved. My idea, rightly or wrongly, was to overcommunicate. He was kept very updated on the transfer window.”
With Howe continuing to be linked to the England job, some supporters still fear the head coach has a potential exit route, should he feel he needs one. Yet Mitchell appeared entirely unflustered by the prospect of an approach from the Football Association (FA) for Howe.
“We want Eddie Howe as our head coach for as long as we can,” Mitchell said. “I’ve never been a guy scared of interest in any of our staff members.”
Instead, while accepting that his and Howe’s relationship is still a work in progress, Mitchell was insistent they can find a positive dynamic from which to operate, even if that means they disagree sometimes.
“Positive conflict is still healthy to move forward and that part of the relationship can’t be all Eddie’s way or Paul Mitchell’s way, it’s got to be a collaboration of both,” Mitchell added. “What I’ve seen of Eddie Howe and how good a coach he is, he is super impressive on the grass and what I think I can bring to the table, I’m excited to see where that can take us.”
Should that relationship fail to blossom, however, then Mitchell will have a significant say in whether the head coach should be removed and who should replace Howe in that event. Mitchell is not the only influential voice in such a discussion, though, with Eales and Al-Rumayyan also thought to hold sway.
“Am I involved (in hiring and firing managers)? Yes. Will I have an opinion? Yes. Should I have an opinion? Yes,” says Mitchell. “But in this current structure it will be dependent on multiple people’s opinions at a given time where that decision would be taken.”
Is Europe still the stated aim?
In July, CEO Eales said: “We expect to really be in Europe. That has to be the aim for us next season.” At that point, with most of the window stretching ahead of them and Newcastle expected to be active, it did not feel like an outlandish suggestion, and even Howe accepted it.
Supporter optimism is now much lower, however. Only 5.3 per cent of The Athletic’s survey respondents say they are more hopeful about the season now that the window has closed and 55.4 per cent are less so.
For Mitchell, the goal has not significantly shifted, although he has softened Eales’ definitive tone. Howe’s squad may not have been strengthened in the market, but Mitchell cited the return of Tonali, keeping key players fitter for longer — something James Bunce, the new performance director, is crucial for — a less-congested fixture list and the head coach’s general excellence as reasons why European qualification should be attainable.
“European football as an ambition is a realistic one,” Mitchell says. “That has to be the challenge for us all.”
Whether it is achievable after the summer window Newcastle have just had, only time will tell.
(Top photo: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
