Eddie Howe happy to be back after ‘very emotional few weeks’ | OneFootball

Eddie Howe has admitted the emotional rollercoaster ride he has been on in the last few weeks has left him appreciating what he has.

The 47-year-old became the toast of Tyneside when he led the Magpies to their first piece of domestic silverware for 70 years last month, and was feted along with his players during a triumphant parade on his return to the north-east.

However within weeks, he was lying in a hospital bed battling his way through a bout of pneumonia which kept him away from work until Thursday, when he picked up the reins once again to prepare for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Ipswich at St James’ Park.

Speaking after a 3-0 win which sent the club back into the top three, Howe said: “It’s been a very emotional few weeks for me, I have to say. I’ve gone from highs and lows.

“You sort of look at things differently and you appreciate everything a lot more, so I appreciate being here today, I appreciate everything to do with Newcastle, I appreciate the support I’ve had and in a sense, that’s made me very emotional.

“But I think when it’s business time, when it’s game time, you turn up and we’ve got to do our job and try to win.”

Howe is yet to fully recover from his illness, but was determined to return as soon as he felt able to pick up where he left off.

He said: “I feel it’s my duty. I have to be able to perform, though, so I was only going to come back if I could give the players what they need and they could look at me and see me as myself, not a pale imitation, so I felt this week I was strong enough to do that.

“Then I feel it’s my duty, so I’ve got to be here as quickly as I can as long as I’m able to execute what I need to do.”

He and his players did just that on Saturday as they fought their way through a difficult first half to establish a lead through Alexander Isak’s late penalty – they were given a helping hand by Ben Johnson’s 37th-minute dismissal for a second bookable offence – before headed goals from Dan Burn and substitute Will Osula completed the job.

Newcastle lead the pack realistically competing for the three remaining Champions League places behind top two Liverpool and Arsenal with four games remaining, but with Brighton, Chelsea, the Gunners and Everton to come, know the margins are tight.

Howe said: “We can’t really afford any errors now, so let’s focus on the next match.”

Defeat on Tyneside cemented relegation for Ipswich, but Kieran McKenna’s players were applauded warmly by the travelling fans on the final whistle.

McKenna said: “We’ve fallen short but I think they know that everyone has given everything, and they also know that the journey has been an incredible one and this is now a step back.

“But if we stick together and do the right things, then it can still be a good springboard to push on again, so we really appreciate it.”