In what was utterly disappointing news, Eddie Howe will miss his first game in charge of Newcastle after testing positive for COVID-19.
However, the 43-year-old will still ensure he prepares his side for the clash with Brentford effectively, thanks to the wonders of technology.
What’s the story?
Well, the Daily Mail‘s Craig Hope has revealed that Howe will FaceTime each of his players individually before today’s game kicks off at 3pm.
We hope they all have iPhones!
Hope adds that Howe has prepared for a situation like this since March, so he is well equipped to handle the issue.
Assistant head coaches Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones will take the reins for this game, and may also have to do so against Arsenal next week.
Depending on when symptoms started, Howe’s 10-day isolation period could spill over to November 27th, when Newcastle travel to the Emirates Stadium.
Eddie Howe COVID situation could be worse
Of course, it was gutting to hear that Howe will miss his first game in charge of the Magpies, and we don’t even support Newcastle.
For neutrals as well as Newcastle fans, there was huge excitement over Howe’s return to the Premier League, with everyone eagerly anticipating what he will bring to Tyneside.
Nevertheless, the situation isn’t as bad as it could’ve been.
In the age of technology, Howe can speak to Jones and Tindall constantly throughout the game, while also watching proceedings from a screen.
Despite not being inside St James’ Park, he can still have a huge impact on how the game plays out.
Hopefully, Howe isn’t suffering too badly from COVID-19, and he will be back to work swiftly – we wish him all the best.
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