Latest news with #AmandaStaveley
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Eddie Howe isn't celebrating Paul Mitchell's exit. Uncertainty is a team-killer
'My job is to get us in five years' time to our ambition,' Paul Mitchell said, not long after his appointment as Newcastle United's sporting director. 'We have to be smarter, more intelligent.' By the time he leaves his post, at the end of June, Mitchell will have lasted barely one of those years. In June 2022, when Dan Ashworth began work as Newcastle's sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Brighton & Hove Albion, he spoke about 'helping the club to grow and achieve long-term success'. Twenty months later, he was again tending his beautiful roses and waiting to join Manchester United. Advertisement For Newcastle and sporting directors, long-term is very much the wrong term. Mitchell's role was '90 per cent recruitment', according to Darren Eales, the chief executive, which by the very blunt metric of actually buying first-team players, makes his tenure 100 per cent unsuccessful, so far at least — Mitchell has another month to shift that dial and the club are pushing to get transfers done. Ashworth, said Mehrdad Ghodoussi — who, along with Amanda Staveley, his wife, initially ran Newcastle post-takeover and were minority owners — would be a 'key hire, the person that drives the football operation, who creates the structure. It's like building a house: if you don't have the right foundations, it will fall down.' To continue that analogy, Ashworth left with the roof not yet fitted and the cement still wet. There is another theme here, too. Over the space of 16 months, Mitchell, Ashworth, Ghodoussi and Staveley will all have departed and so, too, will Eales, who arrived on Tyneside two months after Ashworth and who announced last September that he had been diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer. They are all pivotal figures, responsible for running the club, buying players, setting budgets or setting the tone and much else besides. On the pitch, Eddie Howe's team was a model of excellence and stability for the second-half of the season just ended, winning the club's first domestic trophy for 70 years and qualifying for the Champions League. Above him in the boardroom, it has been constant churn. Does this churn matter? Given the Carabao Cup win, a pair of Wembley finals over two years, playing in Europe's leading club competition for two seasons out of three, and successive league finishes of fourth, seventh and fifth, arguably not at all. Who cares what the suits are doing when Howe has discovered alchemy? Advertisement Yet this — categorically — would not be a theory Howe himself subscribes to and those who have portrayed Mitchell's rapid exit as some kind of victory have called it wrong. There was no celebrating. What Howe wants is new players as quickly as possible and his immediate concern was about the knock-on effects of losing the man whose role was supposed to be '90 per cent recruitment'. Howe said as much on Sunday after Newcastle's place in the Champions League next season was cemented. 'Speed is key for us and I've reiterated that many times internally because we have to be dynamic,' he said. 'We have to be ready to complete things very, very quickly because good players don't hang around for long.' Newcastle have not signed a first-team-ready player for three consecutive transfer windows. Last summer, they sold Elliot Anderson, who had been earmarked for a significant role, to Nottingham Forest to help balance the books. They also sold Yankuba Minteh, who his since made 32 Premier League appearances for Brighton as a right-winger, a position Howe has wanted to reinforce for years. In January, they trimmed more fat they didn't really have, selling Miguel Almiron back to Atlanta United and allowing Lloyd Kelly to join Juventus, initially on loan but with an obligation to buy. In financial terms, those deals were necessary and represented decent business, but in football terms, which is what Howe cares about, it left his squad desperately shallow. After all that, they now have headroom under the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR). They have scope for manoeuvre — and a good thing too, because the squad needs a significant refresh. Howe wants a goalkeeper, a right-winger, a centre-half and potentially a forward. Targets have been deliberated over and fixed upon. Advertisement What he doesn't need is confusion or delay. In his leaving statement, Mitchell said 'the club is in a fantastic position to continue building', but the architect left with Ashworth's defection and now the contractors and engineers are going too. When it comes to the bigger-picture stuff, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Newcastle's majority owners, are notoriously slow to move, and an interim structure needs to be capable of swift decisions. The club say it will be, but judgement can only be deferred. Mitchell's departure, in tandem with Eales — and at least partially caused by it, given their long-standing relationship — means a second consecutive summer of upheaval for Newcastle and Howe who, at this stage, has no inkling of who he will be reporting to next season and who his immediate boss will be. This feels sub-optimal. Football and football people crave certainty. Players want to know precisely what their roles are and to look around their dressing-room knowing team-mates feel the same. Managers want to know what to expect from their players and feel confident that tactical instructions will be carried out. From above, they want authority and backing. Uncertainty is a team-killer. When Staveley and Ghodoussi left Newcastle last July, Howe lost two huge allies and advocates. The three of them had worked closely together in the early days post-takeover, forging a tight, intimate relationship and he was kept informed of everything, good or bad. They left a vacuum. Newcastle felt like less of a family and more corporate. When Mitchell arrived, Howe was given scant notice. If that was bruising, then Mitchell's forthright, brusque personality and desire to make his own mark at Newcastle did not help the healing process. 'It was the wrong attitude to come in with,' an associate of Howe said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'If the club was really at a low point then you could understand that idea of changing everything. It didn't need that. It just needed a bit of support.' After the PSR shambles, when Newcastle held negotiations with Liverpool over selling Anthony Gordon, Chelsea enquired about Alexander Isak, and after Mitchell led a long, fruitless pursuit of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, Newcastle's dressing-room was rife with uncertainty. Every player knew they had a price. With no quality additions, they were less convinced about Newcastle's ambitions. Howe felt less certain in his relationships. He was less clear about what the club's vision was, so how could he persuade his players? In a sport of marginal gains, Newcastle began the season a few percentage points off. They were inconsistent, either nabbing results while not playing well or playing better but proving incapable of seeing games out. With no reinforcements and little support network, it was left to Howe and his backroom team to shake players out of it. It meant months of introspection and effort. Advertisement 'No one fully understands apart from Eddie and his staff just how difficult this season has been,' the associate said. 'Things could have gone very differently.' This was the byproduct of uncertainty. In the meantime, Howe and Mitchell muddled along. They were not stags butting heads. The early tension had first been around personality and then transfers and with Newcastle unable or unwilling to buy anybody, transfers were largely irrelevant. They were never going to be close mates, but Howe put his head down and got on with it. Perhaps that tension would have flared up again this summer. Perhaps Mitchell's expertise and experience would have come to the fore and everyone would have been delighted. Perhaps his legacy will turn out to be the 'fantastic position', he spoke about and Newcastle will get their deals done, which is the minimum Howe deserves after a truly transformational season. Howe has delivered an elite performance. Newcastle's team operated at an elite level for six months, showing what they are capable of. Their marketing and commercial departments are getting there after long years of shrivelled ambition, but in terms of infrastructure and facilities they are not yet an elite club. 'That's what we want to be,' Howe said when The Athletic put these points to him last weekend. 'That's what we're desperate to continue to be. But if I answer that with a definitive yes, I'm not sure it would be wise. I'll let you judge. But we crave that, we want that. Now my summer will be focused purely on trying to make us stronger and better for every challenge we're going to face.' But now he will also have to focus on forging new partnerships, with Eales' replacement and Mitchell's, whatever their job descriptions are and whatever the new structure is. Once again, there will be different people who are tasked with running Newcastle or who are instrumental in shaping what Newcastle should be, either as a squad or as a club. To a certain extent, Howe knew what he would be getting with Mitchell: a headache. Now he doesn't know again. In part, this is to do with circumstances. In an ideal world, a CEO would appoint the sporting director who would seek out the best fit as manager, but at Newcastle they did it the other way around. Equally, nobody could have predicted Eales' illness and, after this extraordinary and rewarding season, he must now belatedly take care of himself and his family. Advertisement To return to the start, there will be no winner from Mitchell's departure if, come August, Howe looks around his dressing room and again sees uncertainty flicker in his players' eyes. And to borrow again from Ghodoussi's analogy, if building a club is really like building a house, do Newcastle yet have the 'right foundations'? Or are they once more being knocked down in order to start over? One thing is certain: their master craftsman cannot be expected to keep picking up the pieces.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
What was your Newcastle moment of the season?
As we reflect on an incredible season - the most successful in living memory - it is worth remembering how difficult things were before a ball had even been was a real sense of unease around the club last July. PSR issues forced the sales of two talented young players, there were rumours about Eddie Howe and the England job, and popular co-owner and director Amanda Staveley left the changes behind the scenes saw a new sporting director arrive, but no significant signings were made despite a very public pursuit of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. Then, they went through a third transfer window in January without strengthening the in Howe and the team has always been there but after a tough summer, supporter expectations were modest. To have achieved so much this season is truly remarkable and is testament to what a brilliant manager he is. They are lucky to have football began with good results but unconvincing performances and after losing to Brentford in December, they were 12th in the table. Howe apologised to fans for their performance that day and views it as their lowest moment of the produced incredible turnaround with a club-record-equalling nine-match winning run in all competitions, including both legs of the League Cup can say they had it easy on the way to Wembley - Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Brentford and Arsenal were among their opponents before a terrific performance in the final against Premier League champions Liverpool on a day when every Geordie's dreams came true. That weekend, and the trophy parade that followed, will be cherished winning a trophy gave fans the best day of their football-supporting lives, qualifying for the Champions League was crucial for the short-term and long-term future of the was no drop-off after Wembley. In fact, they just kept getting better until injuries hit and they slipped from third to fifth in the final week of the they are in a stronger financial position than 12 months ago, and the offer of Champions League football can give them an edge in the transfer market this Howe wants the club to act quickly, saying "speed" is key because "good players don't hang around for long." If they can do that, and give Howe the backing he deserves, it could be an exciting to full commentary on every Newcastle United game, and have your say on the Magpies on Total Sport North East every weeknight from 18:00, on BBC Radio subscribe to the Total Sport Newcastle United Podcast on BBC Sounds
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Paul Mitchell's Newcastle United Exit Was Inevitable When He Arrived
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 22: Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United (C) poses for a photo ... More with Newcastle United Sporting Director Paul Mitchell (L) and Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe (R) after signing a long term contract on October 22, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) Just days into Paul Mitchell's reign as sporting director at Newcastle United, it felt like his presence would cause issues. Having joined in early July last year, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, the two founding members of the Saudi Arabian-backed ownership group on Tyneside, departed. That felt significant, because it saw battle lines drawn in a saga that only came to a head this week, as Mitchell left not even a year into his tenure. Eddie Howe, Newcastle's head coach, saw Staveley and Ghodoussi as major allies in the club's hierarchy. He hadn't enjoyed the strongest working relationship with Mitchell's predecessor, Dan Ashworth, before his long drawn out departure for Manchester United, and when CEO Darren Eales appointed Mitchell, giving Howe only 24 hours notice, it was a dangerous paradigm shift. Howe had just led Newcastle to a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League, and though he had suffered at the hands of a generational injury crisis, missing out on European qualification having competed in the Champions League that season was a major disappointment. His position was precarious. Decisions were being made without him, and Mitchell came in to assume a role which involved '90% recruitment' according to Eales. Howe had the final say on player signings and sales, and any infringement on that would certainly cause friction, which suddenly felt inevitable. When Ashworth left, it was said he found Howe's manner of working frustrating; preferring to confide in his coaching 'inner circle', rather than him. Mitchell appeared and immediately stepped on toes, publicly criticizing the transfer policy he inherited. It was clear he didn't mind who he upset; did he want a partnership? Howe was being linked with replacing Gareth Southgate as England at the same time, which only amplified the tension. At a press conference at the Adidas headquarters in Germany two weeks after Mitchell joined, he was cold and calculated, clearly sending a message that his position wasn't to be compromised. Whilst his commitment to Newcastle never wavered, he had to be given the freedom to do his job as he saw fit. Days later, after a pre-season friendly at Hull City, he tone softened, speaking of the need for 'collaboration'. But it didn't matter anyway. No first team signings arrived last summer much to everyone's annoyance. Profit and Sustainability Rules had been a hindrance, but Mitchell had nothing to show for his brash entrance, other than a much-publicized failure to sign England defender Marc Guehi. Howe focussed on winning matches. HERZOGENAURACH, GERMANY - JULY 16: Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe (L) laughs with Newcastle ... More United Sporting Director Paul Mitchell (R) during the Newcastle United Pre Season Training Camp at the Adidas HomeGroup Training Facilities on July 16, 2024 in Herzogenaurach, Germany. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) Poor performances and results may have strengthened any cause Mitchell had for replacing Howe with his own man; by early December, Newcastle was 12th in the Premier League. Fundamentally, Newcastle's structure differed from its rivals. Because the club was in such serious relegation trouble when the takeover happened in October 2021, Howe was appointed as head coach first. Usually, the sporting director would arrive and have a say in appointing a person who aligns with their vision. Both Ashworth and Mitchell struggled to adjust to Howe's existing strong power base, and having joined with huge reputations, egos may have played a big part in the disfunction. Howe stayed and that is where things began to turn. While Mitchell's influence on youth recruitment is clear, with Malaga winger Antonio Cordero the most exciting recruit, the lack of first team signings has been an issue. But Howe battled on to win Newcastle's first domestic trophy in 70 years and secure a Champions League spot without any major additions. The power dynamic has moved back in his favour, irreversibly so with regards Mitchell, even if they began to work together by the end. Mitchell had also said his role at the club was linked to Eales - who appointed him after they worked together at Tottenham Hotspur. The unfortunate news of Eales' blood cancer diagnosis, which will see him leave soon, will undoubtedly be a factor in the decision. The timing of Mitchell's departure on Tuesday was the biggest surprise, rather than the departure itself. But it also felt symbolic; as soon as the opportunity arose after the season ended. Howe had spoken to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Newcastle's chairman, after Sunday's final game against Everton. He laid down demands so a quick and dynamic start to the transfer window, keen to avoid a repeat of last summer. He was unusually bullish when speaking to the press, and Mitchell leaving means there is no doubting who is calling the shots. Targets have been set, work has already begun. Howe is back in main control of signing players, flanked by his nephew Andy and Steve Nickson, head of recruitment. There are no immediate plans to replace Mitchell, with anyone coming in likely suffering the same fate in terms of unsettling the mood and challenging Howe. But a technical appointment, somebody who negotiates and organises around the wishes of the manager rather than offering their own ideas, may be a better fit. Whatever happens, lessons must be learnt from the Paul Mitchell saga. Eddie Howe's success has given him the strength to dictate what he wants; he needs supporting, not challenging.
Bloomberg
21-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK Losing Wealthy to Middle East, Amanda Staveley Warns
Amanda Staveley, the former director of Premier League football club Newcastle United, says the UK needs to change policies to retain wealthy individuals. Mayfair, one of London's most expensive areas, is "concerningly quiet," she said. "I'd like to see the government do more around attracting people back," she said of the UK. "We need to be as competitive as possible with our European counterparts as you will continue to see an exodus to the Middle East." Staveley, the CEO of PCP Capital Partners, made the comments during an interview with Francine Lacqua at the Qatar Economic Forum 2025, powered by Bloomberg. (Source: Bloomberg)
BBC News
10-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Staveley 'so proud' before Newcastle's return to Wembley
Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley, speaking to BBC Look North about the club's appearance in Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Liverpool:"I will definitely be watching the cup final. I will be at Wembley and we're all looking forward to going - the whole family. We're really excited."There have been many good luck messages [to former colleagues]. I'm really hopeful. I will hopefully be speaking to Eddie [Howe, manager] to wish him and the team the best of luck."I'm so proud of the whole team."Staveley spoke on several topics, including the future of St James' Park and the progress of the women's team - listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds
