The longest ever international break but best ever for Newcastle United – Here’s why | OneFootball

A week to go of this international break for Eddie Howe, the players, the Newcastle United fans, everybody associated with NUFC.

It has been the best thing ever, in my opinion.

I think that when this summer we will all look back on these 17 days as having been quite perfect timing.

When can any of us have ever said that about an international break???

Especially as, correct me if I am wrong, but these 17 days between matches is the very longest international break ever enjoyed/endured by Newcastle United and the fans.

The thing is…

When you lose your match(es) directly ahead of an international break, especially if important loss(es), the players and fans are desperate to get to the next game to hopefully put it right, get back on track.

When you win your match(es) directly ahead of an international break, then players and fans are desperate to get to the next game to try and keep that confidence and momentum going.

This is very different

I think this very lengthy Newcastle United international break has ticked every single box in a very positive way.

For starters, I believe that both the Newcastle United players and fans needed these 17 days to come to terns with what happened at Wembley, what we had all achieved as a club and fanbase.

The expanded Champions League has shifted the match schedule, with the Carabao Cup Final pushed back a couple of weeks, leading to Liverpool 1 Newcastle 2 then followed by a 17 day gap until Newcastle v Brentford on 2 April 2025.

When Newcastle United lost to Man U at Wembley in February 2023, NUFC resumed their quest for Champions League football only six days later, losing at Man City. Altogether, Eddie Howe and his team played three Premier League matches following that losing Wembley final, before reaching the March 2023 international break.

Newcastle United did win those other two Premier League games in March 2023 but they came courtesy of narrow wins over relegation battling Wolves and Forest. Newcastle only won thanks to a 79th minute Almiron goal at home to Wolves and then an added time penalty winner at Forest.

After that March 2023 international break, Newcastle United came back much more refreshed and refocussed. Starting with battering Man U when the visitors were very lucky to only lose 2-0, followed by away wins at West Ham (5-1!) and at Brentford, 6-1 home to Tottenham, 4-1 at Everton, 3-1 home to Southampton. Eddie Howe’s side winning six of the seven after that March 2023 international break, the only defeat came at Villa who were in great form at that point.

Newcastle United couldn’t have hoped for a much more attractive set of fixtures in the games immediately following the Wembley triumph over Liverpool.

In the space of 14 or 15 days playing Brentford home, Leicester away, Man U home and Palace home.

Imagine if United had been coming off that Wembley win and facing Brentford six days later and then those other three games in the next week or two, THEN having an international break.

No wins are guaranteed in the Premier League, you have to earn every point.

However, I think these 17 days will have given the Newcastle United players and fans the perfect time delay before heading back into trying to get top five and a Champions League place for next season.

A warm weather training break for Eddie Howe and the non-internationals and then back together now for a full week of preparation for Brentford and those other very winnable matches that follow.

The post-Wembley celebrations and endless conversation about at last winning a trophy, not exactly extinguished, however, they can be put in a nice place now whilst getting on with the important stuff of following a trophy up with CL football.

Maybe just as importantly, these 17 days have given all of us who love and represent Newcastle United, a lengthy period of time to enjoy having won this trophy. No chance of days later a failing to beat Brentford, or even losing at St James’ Park very soon after Wembley, bringing us all crashing to the ground.

It wouldn’t of course make the cup final meaningless, quite the opposite. However, there would be conflicting emotions, worrying about the Premier League situation, rather than full on nothing can spoil that silverware winning feeling for two and a half weeks.

I know it is dangerous talk….but whilst we so often feel like the fates are conspiring against Newcastle United with things beyond our control. Maybe, just maybe, this is a time when circumstances and timings, match schedules, this international break, means that everything has fallen right for Newcastle United this time, gone in our favour.

Eddie Howe and his players, with the help of the fans, able to head back into St James’ Park next Wednesday night and suitably refreshed and refocussed, then blow Brentford away and then the other positive results flow form there.