Eddie Howe has just made his first brilliant decision as Newcastle boss – our view

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Eddie Howe has been Newcastle United manager for a week.

And on Saturday, he made his first very smart decision as the main man on Tyneside.

Howe took a training session at St James’s Park on Saturday morning in preparation for Newcastle’s visit of Brentford next week.

Making them train at the stadium wasn’t the intelligent thing – it was who the 43-year-old included in the session.

A certain Joe White was photographed alongside the senior Magpies players.

The 19-year-old is one of United’s most promising young players, someone who Steve Bruce described as ‘effortless’ prior to his departure in the North East [Chronicle Live].

Old Firm

Thing is, Rangers and Celtic are reportedly keen on the youngster [The Chronicle].

Let’s face it, with Newcastle’s modern history of losing young players, White moving to one of the Old Firm is a very real possibility.

But in including him in the training, Howe has effectively told the lad that he has a future in the senior side under him.

Promoting him to train alongside Newcastle’s senior players is the single best thing Howe could’ve done to let White know that it’s in his interest to ignore links to Rangers and Celtic.

This is a new era in the North East and Howe has strongly hinted to White that he can be part of it – so long as he stays.