NEWCASTLE BOSS Eddie Howe has said that the club's decision to head to Saudi Arabia for a warm-weather training camp later this year is purely a 'football decision'.
The northeast club was bought for £300 million by a consortium led by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia last year.
Like LIV Golf and other Saudi led ventures around the world, the club and Howe have been hit with constant questions around sports washing and human rights violations by members of the media.
The club, who are 80% owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund confirmed on Friday that they would be heading to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh between 4-10 December. They made a similar trip to the same location last year.
The Magpies will face Pro League champions Al-Hilal in a friendly when they are over there.
Increased criticism is sure to increase with the announcement today, but Howe has defended the club's decision highlighting his side's excellent run of form last year, which saw the finish far away from the relegation places.
Eddie Howe on the mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia:
"When you look back to last year, the benefit it had for the team and the results on our return were really good. The team spirit off the back of that trip was very good and it's helped our decision to go this time." pic.twitter.com/ZrVpYejla4— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) October 21, 2022
We’ve made a football decision. We’ve looked at the World Cup break, what’s the best thing for the team.
“The best thing for the team, I believe, is to take the team away like you would in pre-season, away from distractions, a chance to really train the group, enhance the team spirit with hopefully some good weather, so that’s what we’ve done.
“We’ve made it from a purely footballing backdrop.”
Howe was also asked about if players would be doing any promotional work in Saudi Arabia, and about Saudi Arabia's push for the World Cup in 2030, Howe deflected both questions and pointed to the last years good form
When you look back to last year, our decision to go there and the benefit it had for the team and the results on our return were really good, so we got a few positive connotations from that.
“Going back to our trip last year, the weather was very good, the facilities were first class, we were able to spend some quality time together to bond the group and really focus our energies on our battle to stay in the division.
“The team spirit off the back of that trip was very, very good. Obviously, we have that positive experience to fall back on and it’s helped with our decision this time.”
Newcastle will head to London to play Tottenham on Sunday 4.30.
