‘Absolutely brilliant’: Howe lauds 27-year-old Newcastle star Bruce snubbed every week

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Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has admitted that he can’t wait to work alongside Ryan Fraser once again.

Howe has been appointed as Steve Bruce’s successor at St James’s Park.

In doing so, the English coach is set for a reunion with the Scotland international.

Howe signed Fraser for Bournemouth from Aberdeen way back in 2013, with the winger helping the Cherries ultimately win Premier League promotion under the 43-year-old manager.

But a fairytale ended on a sour note in the summer of 2020 when Fraser wound up joining Newcastle as a free agent, after Bournemouth were relegated.

When the Premier League returned following the pandemic, the 27-year-old didn’t kick a ball and the player claimed at the time that he didn’t want a potential injury to scupper his chances of staying in the top flight.

But Howe has insisted that he has a solid working relationship with the man who he describes as ‘absolutely brilliant’.

He told the Shields Gazette: “Me and Ryan always had a very strong relationship. He was absolutely brilliant. From day one, he really took on board what we were trying to do with him. He worked incredibly hard and he got all the rewards.

“I was disappointed for us with the ending at Bournemouth, but I was disappointed for him, too. That’s in the past. The future’s the future and I’m delighted to be working with him again.”

Second wind

Fraser will be hoping that Howe’s appointment at the Magpies leads to him getting a second wind.

Bruce didn’t start him in a single Premier League game prior to his axing in October, giving him a total of just 67 minutes this season.

Those are the numbers of a player who was nowhere near the then-Newcastle manager’s plans but, with a bit of luck, things will be better for him under Howe.