'He didn't like me' - Bradford boss makes surprise Eddie Howe claim ahead of Newcastle United reunion
Bradford City boss Graham Alexander has reflected on a tough spell for him under Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe at Burnley.
Graham Alexander and Eddie Howe will reunite at St James’ Park as Newcastle United host Bradford City in the Carabao Cup (7:45pm kick-off).
Alexander and Bradford have enjoyed a great start to the season as they head to Tyneside as League One leaders.
Despite being several years older than Howe, the Bradford manager played under the Newcastle head coach at Burnley back in 2011.
Six months after Howe’s arrival, Alexander left Burnley by mutual consent, cancelling his contract after playing a bit-part role in what he described as ‘the most difficult period’ of his career’.
Graham Alexander: “I didn’t like Eddie”
Reflecting on working under Howe at Burnley, Alexander said via The Telegraph and Argus: “Eddie came in during the January in the year after we got relegated from the Premier League,” he said. “He had done a brilliant job at Bournemouth in his first spell there.
“We were mid-table with ambitions to get back up straight away but the season didn’t pan out that way.
“I was captain – but didn’t actually start a game under him. He wanted to go a different way with the team. There were a lot of senior players in that squad.
“I’m not talking about 29-30 but 34-35 and myself. I was 39 at the time. It was probably the most difficult period of my career under Eddie.
“I was caught in that crossfire between one team being created out of another. I was probably the biggest casualty of that which I didn’t handle particularly well.
“I was obviously desperate to play. I knew I didn’t have five or six years in front of me to enjoy football.
“But Eddie had his own plans for what he wanted to create at Burnley, which I understand now as a manager myself.
“He was very coach-minded, he was on the grass every day working with the players and had a clear idea how he wanted them to play.
“But the period I had under him was difficult for me – and it probably was for Eddie as well coming to a new club and having that change-over.
“I’d obviously had a fantastic time at Burnley and been a really important player for them in the previous two or three seasons. But these things can happen.
“I’ve got to be honest, I didn’t particularly like Eddie at the time and I’m sure he didn’t like me. I don’t think I handled that period great.”
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Eddie Howe & Graham Alexander respect remains
Despite a difficult spell at Burnley, Alexander and Howe head into Wednesday’s match on good terms.
The Bradford boss revealed Howe was one of the first to message him once he stepped into management with Fleetwood Town in 2012.
“He welcomed me to the mad house,” Alexander added.“I’ve 100 per cent used that period from his perspective and mine to help me manage similar situations and try and learn from then.
“I didn’t understand at the time - but I totally understood the job Eddie had to do as soon as I became a manager.
“We’ve had communication since, even in the last few months. He’s a brilliant manager who has had a fantastic career and will continue to have an amazing one.
“I’ll be looking forward to seeing him again. It was a difficult period for both of us but one you have to go through as a player and certainly as a manager anyway.”
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Eddie Howe responds to Graham Alexander’s comments
Alexander’s comments were put to Howe in Newcastle’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday morning.
The Magpies’ boss replied: “I really like Graham, so that's news to me. It was a difficult situation. I was very young coming into a new club and part of my brief at Burnley was to try and change the side into a younger-looking team in a new direction.
“Burnley's squad at the time was heavy with experienced players having just come out of the Premier League. So it was a period of change really.
“Graham, I could see from the outset, was an absolute winner with his mindset. He wanted to do everything and play every game.
“Possibly looking back it was a learning experience for me. I didn't play him enough and I should have played him more.
“I’m always very honest with my critique of myself. I made some mistakes early in my time at Burnley where maybe I should have trusted the experienced players a little bit more, but as I said, part of my brief was to take the club into a new era with a younger team.
“But in terms of his professionalism and how he conducted himself, he was absolutely top drawer.
“I always learn from the experienced players, especially when I was a younger coach because they were older than me. So I had no issues with him, a top professional and top player.
“It's no surprise to me that he's gone into management because he had those qualities even then. He was a big leader within the group, set the standards, and it’s great to see him doing so well. I'm really pleased for him.”
Alexander never faced Newcastle as a player but will come against the club for the first time as a manager on Wednesday night.
“The year I played in the Premier League, they’d got relegated to the Championship. We went back to the Championship and they came straight up to the Premier League,” he explained.