Eddie Howe, the manager of Newcastle United, has a history with Sunderland. ChronicleLive spoke with Steve Cook, a former captain of Bournemouth, to reminisce about his most recent trip to the Stadium of Light.
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In thirty-one days, a lot can happen. Newcastle United had recently defeated Manchester United to cut the gap on the top four to just a few points when they were drawn against Sunshine. Eddie Howe’s club was still in the quarterfinals of both the Carabao Cup and the Champions League.
Considering the significant stakes in December, it is understandable why the consensus at the training site was to ‘park’ any discussion about the derby until it was time. But after seven defeats in eight games, this FA Cup third-round matchup has on new significance.
For everyone involved, a loss is unimaginable, and ahead of the first Wear-Tyne derby in more than eight years, Geordies are experiencing a peculiar knot in their gut. The fact that Howe has already caused heartbreak to Sunderland should provide them with some solace, at least. Steve Cook, who was present at the Stadium of Light on the day when Bournemouth defeated the Black Cats, can attest to this.
Regarding that 1-0 victory in 2017, the former Cherries skipper told ChronicleLive, “It was a bit of a funny atmosphere.” As a player, you can already tell what kind of vibe the day will hold as you go outside for a warm-up.
“We were told not to give the throng anything to hold onto when we first arrived. That day, we understood we had to make the crowd angry. Every time you visit Sunderland, you have to strive to sway the enthusiastic, upbeat, and strongly-willed fans to our side, and that’s exactly what we accomplished.”
After suffering heartbreaking losses to Cambridge United and Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup, Newcastle will now attempt to accomplish that on Saturday as these players play in this fixture for the first time. All of them have participated in major games previously, but the numerous Geordies surrounding the camp have already informed them that this is not like anything they have ever encountered.
That holds true for Howe as well, albeit the Newcastle manager will have completed his preparation in the hopes of managing the game. If Howe’s players need any more convincing of the significance of this match, he won’t hesitate to draw from that past.
“He has thrown himself into the culture of Newcastle,” Cook stated. He handles himself with great poise and a great deal of passion for football and its meaning to the fans.
“He has the ability to inspire a group. He is a manager who will explore the significance of the match for the city and the Newcastle supporters. He’ll make the players aware of the situation they’re entering.
“At Bournemouth, where there would be presentations, he did that really well. He recalled how much it wounded the town at the time, when the rivalry didn’t have much significance, when Leeds fans vandalized the Bournemouth town center when we played them. Although these rivalries were certainly not as intense as this game, the players were aware of the significance to the supporters, so I have no doubt he would employ similar strategies here as well.”
There is more than just bragging rights up for grabs in this game. Howe could definitely use a timely victory in the Wear-Tyne derby to boost morale as Newcastle looks to defeat Sunderland at home for the first time since 2011. To put that wait into context, the previous time Newcastle won the match, Howe had not yet returned to Bournemouth for his second stint as manager.
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