Paul Mitchell gives truth on Eddie Howe 'myths' and makes Newcastle United spending pledge

Newcastle United supremo Paul Mitchell wants to shut down any suggestions of tension between himself and Eddie Howe once and for all - insisting the Toon boss is "an elite head coach".

Much was made of Mitchell's arrival in the summer when he joined the backroom team along with performance director James Bunce when Howe spoke of "boundaries" at the club. A wide ranging interview from Mitchell, which was more than an hour long, was then centred on one quote about the scouting department being "unfit for purpose".

After the window slammed shut, Howe's relationship with Mitchell was analysed intensely by the media but the ex-Monaco sporting director says he has no intentions of "micromanaging" the Newcastle manager. And made it clear he does not have to speak to him every day.

READ MORE: Aston Villa send warning to Newcastle United in letter as Man City vote takes fresh twist

READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel sent message Newcastle United diehards will love that will impact Bellingham and Foden

Mitchell, speaking at the We are United fan event, said he felt like he was watching an episode of TV series Big Brother after being shown social media comments: "I was enjoying Eddie and Paul watch in September. Day one: Have Eddie and Paul spoken to each other!

"I thought it was quite good commentary. I am not a big social media fan or a media fan in general. But we work closely. It is a natural collaboration; he is the head coach and manager of the club, and I am the sporting director.

"This notion that we are in each other's pockets and spend every working hour in each other's company is wrong. Eddie is an elite professional and it would be remiss of me or any sporting director to be looking over his shoulder, to be on the training pitch or to micromanage somebody that is extremely talented at what he does.

"My job is to support him. To collaborate, support, challenge, debate all for the benefit for the football club.

"But we have a very talented head coach/manager and our collaboration is as frequent or infrequent as it needs to be. I am fortunate to have been doing this a long time with some really good intelligent coaches as well and Eddie definitely falls into that bracket but I have other responsibilities as well.

"Long, mid and short-term. I have to support Steve at the Academy to grow our next wave of talent to help the first-team and as Darren Eales says also looking at growing and developing players to enhance our revenue streams as well.

"The trading model is an important element of the modern game. And support Becky in the women's game to help the growth of the upward trajectory.

"Unfortunately, not as the myth of the media would like, I can't hold hands with Eddie as much I'd like to! We had the luxury of being at the boxing together which was nice and we had a great time. But I have other responsibilities which are equally as important."

The supporters invited to the event hung on every word of Newcastle's sporting director and he made light of the fact that every penny counts in the world of PSR.

Mitchell said: "I am trying to work out if it is appropriate to come in (to the STACK) and have a few pints to support PSR for January. Is that one of my new roles?

"I'll put something on social media please free to join on a Tuesday afternoon. I was fortunate to a degree that a lot of good work had already been undertaken through Dan (Ashworth) through Eddie Howe and the team at Darsley Park, with Becky Langley and Steve Harper at the Academy. We inherited a large growth in area of performance."

With Mitchell sitting alongside CEO Darren Eales, financial chief Simon Capper and commercial director Peter Silverstone he said that he was knocking on the door to help bolster recruitment every day ahead of future transfer windows.

He said: "A big part of my role is making these guys' lives on stage a living nightmare to ascertain as much cash as we can in very strategic ways to invest in the first-team and the women's and the Academy moving forward."