Newcastle boss Eddie Howe can't escape football and admits ‘I hope I’m not damaging my boys'

Eddie Howe has opened up about his obsession with football – admitting that he finds it almost impossible to switch off from the game.

Howe is now nearing the end of his second full season at the helm of Newcastle United. While this campaign hasn't been as successful domestically as the last, largely due to the horrific spate of injuries, the Magpies are sixth ahead of tonight's crunch clash at Manchester United at St James' Park and can still secure a spot in the Europa League, or the Conference League.

Howe has been instrumental in transforming the Magpies into genuine contenders for the top six. In an extensive interview, the former Bournemouth and Burnley boss shared insights into his daily routine and how football pervades his life. "I'm in quite early [every day], I do a gym session to help me mentally. I come in every day at 6.30am," he told Gary Neville on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet (via the Daily Star).

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"Depending on the day, if it's far away from the game, it'll be all about how we can help the team for the weekend, looking at our opponent and trying to find strengths and weaknesses."

The father-of-three confessed that his job often spills into his home life. He admitted: "Yes, without a doubt. Yesterday, I got home, sat on the sofa and the Champions League is on, I say to my oldest son, 'get me a pen and paper, I've got an idea'."

Within minutes of arriving home, he found himself crafting a strategy for the next day's training session while watching the game. He added: "I'm thinking, I haven't seen my kids but you're always there thinking of your team, thinking about the next game. Whatever the recent thought is, you can't escape it, that's how I live."

Questioned whether he finds himself present but mentally absent, he confessed: "Always, by my wife. My circle of friends now has got smaller, and smaller, and smaller because they're going off and doing these things and I'm here in this world at the moment and I rarely come out of it.

"I tend to not escape from football when I get home. I find it difficult to take myself away from the game, mentally. I've got my kids who are great company for me and without them, I'd find it difficult, but usually with three boys running around, I find myself on a pitch and I'm in the garden playing with them.

"All my boys have the football bug, so in some senses I am back coaching again with them in the garden, giving them a hard time. I hope I'm alright with the boys and I'm not damaging them. I will try and coach them, but they are amazing, and they love the game."

He'll be able to look forward to a break this summer watching England compete in the Euros ahead of another pre-season with Newcastle. Before that, his team go to Brentford on Sunday for the season finale off the back of tonight's (Wednesday) visit to Old Trafford.