On behalf of the players, staff and everyone connected with Newcastle United, I’d like you to welcome you all to Wembley for the Carabao Cup final.
The two legs of our semi-final against Arsenal feel like a lifetime ago, not least because our attention has continued to switch from game to game across respective competitions. So it is great to finally be here, with our full focus on the exciting challenge ahead.
We face a team who are top of the Premier League, having set the standard for all others to follow this season. Arne Slot has done an incredible job in his first season in English football, and our matches against Liverpool this season have highlighted what a strong, well-coached team they are.
Those matches have also been very competitive and we approach today with only one thought in our minds – to compete and win.
Our quest to lift the Carabao Cup ended in disappointment at the final hurdle two years ago, but that experience can be a positive in the fulness of time and we can use those memories and feelings to motivate us even more in our relentless pursuit of silverware.
We know only too well that it is incredibly difficult to reach a cup final, let alone win a trophy. It takes an awful lot of hard work, some luck along the way, and a collective effort from many people on and off the pitch. The players themselves have always played with pride in the shirt and have never let us down. Since the day I arrived at the club, they have been open-minded to everything we’ve asked them to do, resilient when things haven’t always gone to plan, strong enough to embrace every challenge along the way, and they really are a credit to our club and city.
They are also a more experienced group for the journey we’ve been on, and we know our shared experiences together will be invaluable as we seek to go a step further today. These qualities are seen every week in the matches we play, but I see how much they commit to the cause every day in training, and it’s this absolute commitment to growing and improving and being the best version of themselves which makes me so proud to be their manager.
I also want to take the opportunity to shine a light on the staff behind the scenes, who have once again given everything to the cause to help us get here.
The work they do in all aspects is incredible. Their dedication and attention to detail help to give the players every little advantage, and nothing can be achieved without this kind of tireless, collective effort.
And of course, to the people who inspire us to push on and try to achieve something special - our supporters. I have absolutely no doubt you will do us proud today, just as you do week in, week out.
When we arrived at the club in 2021, it was our aim to effect positive change. To change the narrative. Together with everyone connected with Newcastle United, we wanted to build a team that could compete for honours on a regular basis and unite everyone on the journey.
Reaching that final two years ago was an important start. Competing in the Champions League was a big moment. And returning to Wembley is another indicator that we are on the right path.
But, while today is of course a big occasion, it has a different feeling. It is an opportunity to go one step further on our journey and bring a trophy back to Newcastle. That is our sole objective. It is what we have worked so hard to do.
Representing the hopes and dreams of our city and of supporters everywhere is something we never take for granted. It is a constant motivator for us, and we will be doing everything within our power to achieve something special together – with you and for you.
Eddie Howe