Eddie Howe has cautioned that Newcastle United’s record signing Nick Woltemade will require time to settle into Premier League football following his £69million switch from Stuttgart. Woltemade spearheaded Germany’s attack on Thursday evening but his nation suffered a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier with media pundits describing his display as “almost invisible”.
A blazing headline in Germany’s leading publication Bild on Friday morning also roared: “Historic Germany embarrassment”.
Germany take on Northern Ireland in Cologne tomorrow evening in a vital Group A encounter but it remains uncertain whether Woltemade will feature in the squad.
Howe is keen to welcome Woltemade back to Tyneside as he waits patiently to begin preparations for the showdown at St James’ Park against Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend.
The Magpies manager is not anticipating instant magic from his expensive acquisition just yet and commented: “There will be a period of adjustment so we all have to be very understanding of that. It is difficult for players to just to come in.
“He has not had a pre-season with us and I love every player to experience that because your learning is a lot quicker.
“But I think he has qualities that translate across anyway, he is very good technically. He is very good around the box, he scores goals and I think that will translate.”
Howe is set to give Woltemade and fellow newcomer Yoane Wissa, a £50m deadline day signing from Brentford, their first taste of a packed St James’ Park against Wolves as the Magpies seek their inaugural victory.
Newcastle entered the international break just above the drop zone, and Howe is keen to return to work – and put the Alexander Isak transfer saga behind him, which concluded with the Swedish star securing his £130m move to Liverpool.
The Newcastle head coach expressed: “There is a huge frustration as we know we are judged against everything we deliver. And that is why the players have handled it all really well, it would have been very easy for them to feel differently about the situation.
“They have taken ownership of their own performances, they have viewed it absolutely brilliantly.”
Howe also believes that the Isak controversy, which lasted for 55 days, has challenged his squad.
Howe stated: “I don’t think every squad would have been able to blank it out and carry on and make the team grow from the experience. “That is always the challenge we have to be better for what happened and not succumb to it, that is the challenge ahead now.”