Eddie Howe: I'm better manager now than when I left Cherries

Club legend Howe departed Vitality Stadium in August 2020, following Cherries' relegation from the Premier League after five seasons in the top flight.

But he has now returned to management this week, taking over at Newcastle United.

Discussing his time out of football, Howe said: "I’ve had some fantastic visits, once COVID rules allowed. I’ve been out here, there and everywhere.

"I think I sit here now a better manager than I was, even though people would say, ‘you’ve been out the game’ and question that. But, for me, I’m more relevant and more in-touch than I’ve ever been in terms of what’s going on at the top level."

He added: "I just feel more educated on certain things to do with the game.

"I feel better organised, because I’ve spent a lot of time, without going into the intricacies of what I’ve done, sorting out a lot of my training sessions into a digital format.

"It’s difficult to communicate it necessarily in one sentence. But I feel my way of working now will be a lot more streamlined."

Howe, who came through the youth ranks at Cherries, has not lived in the north of England since a stint at Burnley between January 2011 and October 2012, before returning to Cherries.

Asked if he plans to move up to the north east with his family having now taken the job on Tyneside, Howe confirmed: "Yeah, absolutely, that is the plan.

"For me, that’s so, so important that I commit to the area. I think with the hours that I’m going to work, if I didn’t bring my family with me, then there’s absolutely no chance I would ever see them!

"So I don’t want to be that kind of parent that’s not there for their sons and be a husband as well.

"So the plan is to move them up, probably some time after Christmas. My immediate focus will be too great and the boys are obviously at school so it’s not possible before then. But I’m all in here.

"I’m going to bring the family with me and they’re excited to come."