Newcastle United defender Dan Burn admits that the team appear to need crisis talks to turn their season around.
The defeat to Brentford earlier this month resulted in Newcastle United fans booing their own team at St James’ Park.
Indeed, it wasn’t just the defeat that evoked such a strong reaction. Eddie Howe’s side have been a tough watch this season, and many would have seen that result coming.
Some of their performances have been dreadful. Still, since Bruno Guimaraes held crisis talks with the Newcastle United squad, Howe’s side have beaten Tottenham and Aston Villa off the back of some improved performances.
Burn admits that, once a season, the team appear to require a dressing room inquest.
Speaking to The Chronicle, he said: “We have spoken between players and staff. We always seem to have this once a season where there are a few home truths spoken.
“It gives everyone a bit of a reset. You reflect on what we did well in the past and what we want to get back to. Everybody sticks with each other and supports each other. Maybe not two complete performances but two wins.”
When Newcastle United have held crisis talks before
A crisis is all relative, of course. In the pre-PIF era at Newcastle, there was one happening every single week.
Still, it is notable that this Newcastle side seem to need clear-the-air talks every once in a while. Quite what that says about the dressing room is up for debate.
Indeed, Howe is believed to have delivered some home truths to his players after the 4-2 defeat at Brentford in December 2024.
That then paved the way for a fantastic winning run that propelled Newcastle to Champions League qualification and a victorious Carabao Cup final.
Dan Burn is one of Newcastle United’s leaders
Burn is one of Newcastle’s best-ever defenders, a leader both on and off the pitch.
With players like him in the squad, it’s difficult to imagine things ever falling down completely.
On the pitch, Newcastle have a strong leadership team with the likes of Burn, Kieran Trippier and Guimaraes involved.
This hasn’t been an easy season but if the crisis talks that recently happened work even half as well as they did last time around, then perhaps it could yet be a special campaign.