Eddie Howe says it’s “one of the great stories.”
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe described Dan Byrne’s appeal to the England team as “one of the great stories,” and welcomed the defender as “the real guy.”
The 32-year-old was one of several surprise inclusions from the new ones This morning England head coach Thomas Touchel He established himself as a regular on the Newcastle side, meeting Liverpool in Sunday’s EFL Cup final.
It’s time to reveal Thomas Touchel’s first #threelions squad! 👀🏴
– England (@England) March 14, 2025
And Howe believes he is the inclusion he deserves.
He said of Byrne:
“As such an emotional guy and a talented player, it’s a great football story. Dan had to do it in a difficult way throughout the league. He’s a model expert. He’s very committed to what he’s doing. His character is very stable and he’s on a high level, so I’m very pleased with him on a personal level.
“We started working with Dan when we did and obviously came during our demolition fight.
“I think it’s a really great story. It’s one of the great stories and one of the great comebacks. A dedicated expert, a leader, a real guy.”
Eddie Howe from Dan Byrne’s England call-up:
“An incredible moment for Dan, no one deserves me better. He’s such a touching guy and talented player. It’s a great football story. Dan had to do it the hard way through the league. He’s a model… pic.twitter.com/lexbdddayv
– Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 14, 2025
There’s no time to celebrate the burn
Asked if he spoke to former Fulham, Wigan and Brighton defenders to discuss the news, Howe added: He told us about a very short call-up just before he came here, so no, there’s no time to celebrate the training for him straight with him.
“This is a great moment for Dan and of course Newcastle. But the Cup final is, of course, everything we’re thinking about now.”
Byrne, who can also play left-back, will start at the heart of his defense against Liverpool on Sunday and be tasked with keeping the Reds’ strong offense quiet.