Eddie Howe has refused to set any type of targets for Newcastle United next season - despite proving that the club can compete for a top 10 place in his first six months as boss. Some pundits are already talking up the chance of a European push at St James' Park next season with talk of the Europa League or Europa Conference League.
But Howe will not burden his players with any extra pressure. It was Kevin Keegan who famously banned the word "consolidation" at United back in 1993 and roared: "The sky's the limit", but Howe has adopted a more cautious approach ahead of what fans hope will be an exciting new era.
Howe said: "I want my squad to be confident, ambitious. They have to believe in big things and we have to set targets internally.
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"I’d rather it stay internal than external because we have to also manage the expectation around the team. We don’t want them to play under an unnecessary burden and an unnecessary pressure that actually hampers our performance. Creating that mix is important, but I’d much prefer to keep things in-house."
As for the remaining 90 plus minutes of the current season, Newcastle have the chance to bag a top 10 place for the first time in four years. Howe said: "It’s an opportunity to finish in the top 10 and it should not be underestimated. We’ll give our all to try to achieve it."
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