Eddie Howe Addresses Lewis Hall’s England Call-Up, Three-Year Tenure, and Nottingham Forest Match

Eddie Howe, manager of Newcastle United, addressed reporters ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest, scheduled for a 14:00 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press conference: Howe confirmed that there were no fresh injury worries for the upcoming Sunday match, though Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson remain unavailable for selection due to fitness issues. Regarding Lewis Hall’s initial inclusion in the England squad, Howe stated: “I’m delighted for Lewis. I think he’s had a very good start to the season – he’s been very consistent and put in some mature displays. There’s still a lot more to come from him. We’re seeing him evolve every week. It’s a great achievement for someone so young.” Reflecting on reaching his third year as Newcastle’s manager, Howe light-heartedly remarked: “It feels good to still be here!” He further commented: “When you come in [to a new club] you’re never sure how things are going to go. You come in with the best of intentions and lots of dreams, but also uncertainty and some insecurities because you’re going into the unknown. I think back to loads of positive memories and good feelings. I’m so pleased with how it’s gone and still dreaming of what may lie ahead.” Discussing his aspirations for his fourth year leading Newcastle, Howe articulated: “We’re looking at progression and improvement. We’re looking at a really tight Premier League this year. Consistency is a big word for us and if we can find that ability to win consecutive games, the teams that are able to put those winning sequences together will have the best chance of success.” Forest currently holds third place in the Premier League standings after 10 matches. Howe remarked about Sunday’s adversaries: “Nuno [Espirito Santo] deserves huge credit for the job he’s done. They’ve recruited really well in recent windows. They’ve got a way of playing that really works for them and they’re very tough to play against. You can see from their defensive record what a test it’s going to pose for us to score against them, and that’s given them the platform then to score at the other end.” Addressing Forest’s in-form former Newcastle striker, Chris Wood, Howe stated: “I’m delighted for Chris on a personal level because, for me, it was never lost how well he played for us. He did everything but score, but his positive performances were so important in our efforts to stay in the league, especially that first season when he joined.”