'Being honest': Eddie Howe has given his thoughts on the controversial post-season Australian fixture

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have agreed to partake in a couple of friendly fixtures in Australia right after the completion of the Premier League season.

When we say 'right after' we truly mean it. The teams fly down under in the time between the final Premier League fixtures and the FA Cup final.

It's a move that has been widely panned by the media and likes of Gareth Southgate as well as environmental groups, and to be honest, it's not hard to see why.

Flying to the other side of the world while you're coming off the back of a busy season, while several players have their mind on the European Championships, just seems all a bit much.

Getty Images

The Premier League and the FA have brought this on themselves

Eddie Howe was asked for his thoughts on the fixture during Friday morning's pre-Fulham press conference and his response (via The Mirror) spoke volumes.

“I don’t think it’s something that, being honest, in my position you’re saying ‘I want to go’. But I understand the club’s position and we will back it if the club say: we’re going.

“From a physical perspective, being honest, it is something we wouldn’t want to do.

"But we respect the club and respect the demands, that the club is moving very quickly, so when asked to do these things we will do them with the best attitude we can.”

It's because of restrictions such as Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability rules that such ridiculous fixtures have to be created at all, so the football authorities have brought this on themselves.

International managers will be watching on with a keen eye

After the injury-ravaged season Newcastle have had, sticking another fixture on the end just seems crazy, but as Howe said, the financial implications make it almost a necessity.

With this new 'luxury tax' idea floating around, giving clubs the freedom to spend, meaningless, time-consuming and energy-sapping friendlies like this won't become a theme.

Imagine how raging international managers are going to be if one of their stars picks up an injury in these fixtures ahead of the Euros!