‘I don’t think it’s fair’: Gary Neville sympathises with Newcastle man, makes Manchester United comparison

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Gary Neville has defended Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and insisted it shouldn’t be down to the manager to keep answering non-football questions.

Howe is the front and centre for Newcastle given he delivers the press conferences week in week out. However, those conversations often turn to the situation in Saudi Arabia and Newcastle’s owners, PIF. Howe, of course, answers how he can and often pushes the line of him not being qualified enough to go into detail.

And Neville, speaking on his weekly podcast on YouTube, admitted he has sympathy with Howe when it comes to those questions.

“I don’t think it’s fair that Eddie Howe has to stand there in front of cameras and has to answer difficult questions when the owner, ultimate owner of Newcastle, never has to show up. Same with the Glazers at Manchester United and other clubs where by owners should be accessible to answer the difficult questions,” Neville said.

Neville went on further to insist that the questions being asked are huge issues that need addressing but admitted that he’d rather be round the table with such owners to influence change, rather than simply expel them.

The former England right-back also spoke of other ownership, not just Howe, saying that it was down to more open forums and other communication channels in order to address such issues.

TBR’s View: Howe Can’t Win Really

Ultimately, Neville is right in saying that these are bigger conversations and issues that a football manager can deal with.

Howe has probably had the same sort of questions ever since the takeover and there is only so much he can do and say. He’s also partly tied, given he’s not going to come out and essentially criticise his own owners and employers.

Neville makes a good point here and speaks well on the situation but this is a deeper issue which runs beyond what any football manager or fan will likely know enough about to solve.