‘Not hungry’ - Callum Wilson reveals Eddie Howe disagreement in final days of Newcastle United spell
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Newcastle United latest news: Callum Wilson has revealed a disagreement he had with Eddie Howe during his final days as a Magpies player.
Callum Wilson has revealed he disagreed with Eddie Howe’s advice during the final days of his time at Newcastle United.
Wilson’s five-year spell on Tyneside came to an end this summer when he left the club following the expiration of his contract. Wilson left as a free agent before eventually joining West Ham on a free transfer.
Before completing a move to the London Stadium, though, Wilson spent some time in the USA, covering the inaugural Club World Cup as a pundit for DAZN. During that tournament, the former Magpies man reiterated his desire to continue playing football, but as someone that will turn 34 before this season comes to an end, it’s not a surprise if he does have one eye on what the future could hold.
Certainly, Howe had his view on what the man he worked so closely with at Bournemouth and Newcastle United could do once his career came to an end. However, in an interview with the Times, Wilson revealed that he disagreed with his former head coach’s hopes for his future.
“In one of our last conversations, Eddie said, ‘One day you should become a manager or coach,’ because he’d seen me become a leader,” Wilson said.
“I don’t feel it, and I’m not hungry for it — I wouldn’t want to do something that I don’t enjoy. When I eventually hang up my boots, I’ll probably give a lot of time to my family because of the sacrifices.
“I might do a little bit of television and maybe mentoring. It is one of the last things on my mind now.
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“As long as I have the hunger, I will be on the pitch. You hear the outside noise from people talking about injuries — that is a motivation. Mohamed Salah is the same age as me. It’s almost like saying Mo is retiring. No one would ever think that.
“If anything, I think I have more longevity as I have less miles on the clock, as I have missed games. You have a few dark moments when you have injury after injury, and you think, ‘Is it time?’ But the fighter in me was never going to give up.”
Eddie Howe coy on Callum Wilson transfer ‘hypothetical’
After bidding a tearful farewell to the St James’ Park crowd following their final day of the season defeat to Everton in May, Newcastle United had all summer to prepare for Wilson’s exit. However, developments surrounding Alexander Isak and his desire to leave the club meant that they began the season without a recognised starting striker.
Games against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leeds United passed without Howe being able to name a striker in his starting side as Isak remained unavailable for selection. Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa were eventually brought in to fill that hole, but keeping Wilson at the club would have saved a lot of angst, particularly during those first few weeks of the season.
Ahead of their clash with the Hammers earlier this month, Howe was asked by the Gazette if he’d have made more of a push to keep Wilson had he known how the summer transfer window would pan out. The Magpies head coach responded: “You can never look at hypotheticals. Any person in a leadership position would say the same thing.”