Newcastle United new addition confirmed as Eddie Howe issues warning

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe insists the club are always looking to move forward, but warned progress may take longer than expected.

The Magpies went from a relegation battle to a Champions League charge in just one season. The rapid progress has suffered somewhat of a hangover this season with ongoing injury issues and an early exit from the Champions League.

Earlier this month, Newcastle appointed Jonny King as the club's new senior physio. King worked under Howe at AFC Bournemouth and joins from Championship club Leicester City.

He replaces Danny Murphy, whose departure was confirmed by the club last month.

Recent months have seen Newcastle experience a significant injury crisis which has seen 21 members of the squad miss matches due to injury, illness or suspension. Only six members of Newcastle's squad have featured in 20 or more league matches this season with 24 games played.

Fabian Schar and Miguel Almiron are the only two players to have featured in every game so far while Kieran Trippier, Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon have been near ever-present in the matchday squads.

Newcastle still have a number of injury concerns with Callum Wilson, Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak, Joe Willock and Elliot Anderson all doubtful for the upcoming games. Matt Targett, Nick Pope and Joelinton are also recovering from their respective injury issues.

And Howe is hoping the appointment of a new senior physio will help having admitted 'mistakes' had been made when it comes to managing various injury issues this season.

"We're always trying to find ways to improve what we do," Howe said. "That process will never change, whether that's playing style, playing staff, we're always trying to move the club forward and [a new physio] is with that in mind. 

The Newcastle boss added: "Of course when you have the number of injuries we have had some of those have come from too much load or maybe our programmes are not good enough in the gym.

"The players do a lot of work. They don’t just go out on the training pitch, they do a lot of gym work, a lot of different things. If we are sitting here going we have not made any mistakes I think we are being fools here.

"So of course we analyse everything. So when I say we are, I include everyone at the football club. No individual, no individual department, we are all in it together. Of course we have to look at that and respond and improve."

Despite all of Newcastle's issues this season, the club still currently sits seventh in the Premier League table and have progressed to the last-16 of the FA Cup - European football qualification is still a realistic goal.

But Howe feels the club has to catch up with the progress the team has made on the pitch. “We are on our way, but we are trying to improve everything internally as well," Howe continued. "You don’t just get there, you have to build, and that takes time.

"For a start, the infrastructure, the training ground, we are trying to keep up with the speed [of progress] of the team. Financial Fair Play is going to limit our speed [of progress] on the pitch, so I think it’s going to take longer than three or four years. It might take longer than that for us to be the team everybody wants us to be."