Newcastle coach does not think he can lead the League Cup final

At the end of March 2002, Howe - at the age of 24 - suffered a serious knee injury on his debut with Portsmouth, causing his playing career to slowly fade away. At the same time, Newcastle flourished when they beat Everton 6-2 in front of 52,000 spectators at home with the legendary Alan Shearer contributing a goal. End of the season That 2001-2002, Newcastle finished fourth, won tickets to the Champions League.

After 21 years, through many ups and downs, Newcastle is returning to the top position of the foggy country, when fiercely competing for the top 4 in the Premier League and facing the opportunity to win the first domestic title with a place in the final. League Cup with Man Utd at Wembley Stadium today. Howe is the one who leads Newcastle on the sublimation journey this season, and becomes the youngest coach to bring Newcastle to the League Cup match.

As Howe admitted to The Athletic before the Wembley game, he could not have dreamed of where he is now, having suffered a serious injury 21 years ago. "I went to the therapist after my injury, and he told me I had to retire," Howe said. "I was only 24 years old, but I felt like my world was falling apart. At that time, I never thought that I would have the day I am now."

Newcastle have won England three times and won 6 FA Cups, but have been empty-handed since 2006, when they won the UEFA Intertoto Cup - a summer club tournament of the European Football Federation, stopped from 2008. The English League Cup Final season This will be the first time Newcastle have entered a major tournament title game since the FA Cup in 1999 - where they lost to Man Utd 0-2 with goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes.

Newcastle also reached the League Cup final for the first time since 1976 - where they lost 1-2 to Man City. The 47-year gap between two finals is the longest for any team in League Cup history.

Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson are loved by fans, but neither has been able to help Newcastle quench their thirst for titles since 1969. Ruud Gullit, Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness were also brought to St James Park with the ambition to bring back. Cups, but none succeeded. And today, Howe has a chance to eclipse them all.

"It would be great if I win the Cup with Newcastle," said the English coach. "But the title is not necessarily for me, it will be for the fans, for those who connect with the club to seize the moment. They have been waiting for a long time, with a love of football, and I want to. return that love with a title. Next final is for Newcastle."

Howe's three brothers and sister will be at Wembley today. However, the 45-year-old coach's thoughts will turn to the person who has the most influence in his life but cannot participate. Howe has not yet been relieved when her mother Anne - who raised the whole family without a father - passed away in 2012.

"She will always be in my thoughts," Howe said of her late mother. "When I was a kid, 5, 6 years old, my mother took me around Wembley, lifting the fake FA Cup with the fake noise of the crowd. I got into football because of her. I never got into football. I'll never forget that day for me, Wembley is a wonderful place, a place where I aspire to be back in any form of football I'd say 99.9% of where I am today. It's thanks to my mom because she was my driving force when I was a kid. She was a huge influence on me, and what I'm doing now is really thanks to her."

After a terrible knee injury in 2002, Howe tried to play for another five years, then retired with Bournemouth in 2007. Bournemouth is also where he started his coaching career just a year later, and where Howe built his career. name before being appointed to Newcastle in November 2021 in a revolution with new bosses from Saudi Arabia.

"I felt very lost and isolated because I felt that my career ended very early," he added about his decision to retire to pursue a career in military. "I became shy, introverted. I saw myself as having a good football brain, but wasn't sure if I had any prospects as a coach. So I was confused about the way forward."