Eddie Howe has revealed that he plans to invite Keegan Keegan to speak to his players after the Newcastle United boss challenged his side to follow in the Entertainers' footsteps.
Keegan was actually one of the first people Howe reached out to before officially taking charge of Newcastle last November. Howe, recognising Keegan's place in Newcastle's history as both a manager and player, contacted the 71-year-old in order to get a greater understanding of the club.
Keegan is understood to have stressed the importance of always being up front with the fans to Howe and the Newcastle head coach clearly learned a lot from that chat last year. So would Howe ever invite the club legend to the training ground to address the players himself?
READ MORE: Everything Eddie Howe said at his press conference
"I'd love that," Howe told reporters ahead of the trip to Brighton. "He's an incredible guy. I really enjoyed my first conversation with him before taking the job.
"I will be picking up the phone to him and I will be inviting him in. Whether he feels he wants to come? That's a different matter but, certainly, we would love to talk with him."
Keegan's first spell as a manager at the club in the '90s left its mark on a young Howe and the Newcastle boss referenced that period while speaking to his players this week. The aim was to draw a connection with the club's past as Howe challenged his players to create their own history.
The talk included footage from that time and references to a number of former players as Howe reminded the squad of the club's 'rich history'.
"It's important that the club understand the club they are playing for," he said. "It's vital. It wasn't too deep. We just tried to educate them on certain things we feel were really important.
"Yes we celebrated some former players and I think that's really important as well with always a view to the future. That's vitally important.
"You don't want to live in the past but you want to respect what's gone on before to then try and create a new future here and that's what we're trying to do."
Although Howe has kept Newcastle's targets for the new campaign in-house, the Magpies boss spoke last week of his dream of one day winning a trophy. Whereas so many of Howe's predecessors shared that same goal in the Ashley era, the club now have the means and long-term ambition to actually try and achieve it.
It has been a long while since there has been such optimism in the air at the start of a new campaign on Tyneside. As Wor Flags' banner in the Gallowgate End on the opening day read: 'It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for NUFC and we're feeling good!'
Newcastle still have a long way to go, of course, to challenge for honours again but rather than being daunted by the club's past, Howe has embraced it.
"They finished second not so long ago so the history is there," he added. "The club can be successful in this league. It's important that the players see that, feel that, and believe we can follow in their footsteps."
READ NEXT
Newcastle job advert reveals 'talented individuals' bid to deliver club's 'ambitious plans'
Newcastle transfer profile clear and surprise name may be about to emerge again after Bruno deal
Newcastle owners launch search to boost transfer funds as Amanda Staveley targets 'best deals'
Majed Al Sorour reveals he talked future of Newcastle with Reuben family as special guests visit
Newcastle financial truth after James Maddison bids as Brendan Rodgers responds to 'noise'
