Eddie Howe had no issue with Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley promising the club would win the Champions League, although he hopes they will have patience with him along the way.
Newcastle played their first major final in 24 years on Sunday but were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in the EFL Cup showpiece at Wembley.
Staveley's response was a strong one, inspired by the experience of the defeat as she told talkSPORT: "We will win the Carabao Cup, we will win the FA Cup, we will win the Champions League, and we will win the Premier League."
Those comments were relayed to Howe on Friday ahead of a trip to Manchester City, where Newcastle will attempt to get their Premier League campaign back on track.
"I love Amanda's positivity, I love her outlook," Howe said. "I've got no issue with the statements.
"All I'd say is, from my perspective, there's no time limit on that. If we set targets that are maybe too short-term, that can have a negative effect and build external pressure that the players don't need.
"We want the players to play free and not really think too much about the consequences. It's my job to take the pressure off them, so that's what I'll try to do."
Newcastle were in a relegation battle last season but now sit fifth even after a four-match winless run in the top flight, with Champions League qualification still in their hands.
"The leap is harder, and time is something that is a very small commodity, really, when you're sat in my shoes here," Howe added.
"Lowering expectation and controlling that environment is so important.
"I don't think we created a problem for ourselves, but the speed with which the team has improved has been so quick that I think people naturally assume that will continue. If it was that easy... it's not that easy.
"So, to continue on a forward trajectory is harder and harder. The better you get, the harder it is to get better.
"We have big challenges ahead, and we need to be smart at what we do. My work will be judged on that evolution of the team."
Tuchel to make Bayern Munich changes for Stuttgart ahead of Real Madrid clash
Bayern Munich travel to Stuttgart this weekend and are ready to rotate their side with the Champions League semi-final second leg at Real Madrid to come four days later, manager Thomas Tuchel said.
The league title has been secured by Bayer Leverkusen, and with the Bundesliga's top five clubs guaranteed Champions League football next season, Saturday's clash between Bayern in second and third-placed Stuttgart is not crucial.
"We will give a few players the chance to pick up some rhythm," Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Of course, we will also take a few players out and allow ourselves to adapt the rhythm to Wednesday.
"But that doesn't relieve us of our responsibility, that those who play have to fight and show grit there."
Bayern drew 2-2 at home to Madrid on Tuesday, a game Matthijs de Ligt missed due to injury, and the Dutch defender will also sit out the trip to Stuttgart in the hope of making the return game in Spain.
"Matthijs de Ligt won't be in the squad, as the plan is that he returns to training on Sunday, then we have got three days," Tuchel said.
"Jamal Musiala won't be in the squad. Same procedure there. Dayot Upamecano will try and train [Friday], so we'll see."
Leroy Sane scored in the draw with Madrid, after missing the last four league games through injury. The winger has played three Champions League games in that time and will be in the squad for Stuttgart.
"You always try to have a connection to the players. Leroy's been training with pain for seven or eight weeks, but is always available," Tuchel said.
"He has a high threshold. He deserves the utmost respect there. He's a bit short there at the moment because he can't train properly.
"But he is in training and is coming to Stuttgart."
Bayern have 69 points, five ahead of Stuttgart with three games remaining.
Saudi Pro League: Mahrez and Firmino on target as Al-Ahli tighten grip on third place
Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino were both on target as Al-Ahli tightened their grip on third place in the Saudi Pro League table with a 4-1 win over Damac on Thursday.
Matthias Jaissle's team were four goals up within just 25 minutes as Damac folded, Ziyad Al Johani and Feras Al Brikan netting their first two before Franck Kessie was felled by Dhari Al Anazi for a penalty, converted by Mahrez.
Firmino then tapped home a fourth after being teed up by former Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin on the break, but Al-Ahli took their foot off the gas from there, Domagoj Antolic's second-half consolation rounding off the scoring.
Elsewhere, 10-man Al-Riyadh scored two stoppage-time draws to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw with Al-Fateh in Al-Mubarraz.
Goals from Djaniny and former Columbus Crew star Lucas Zelarayan put Slaven Bilic's hosts on the brink of victory, with Al-Riyadh playing almost half the game a player down after Khalid Al Shuwayyi's 54th-minute red card.
An astonishing collapse denied them, however, with Mohammed Al Shwirekh halving the arrears one minute into stoppage time before Didier Ndong headed in a left-wing cross three minutes later.
Thursday's other game saw Al-Hazm and Al-Akhdoud play out a goalless draw, keeping the hosts bottom of the table while Al-Akhdoud inched two points clear of the relegation zone.
Tonali set for August return after receiving suspended two-month ban from FA
Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban by the Football Association (FA) after admitting to breaching gambling rules.
The sanction means the Newcastle United midfielder will be eligible to return to action on August 27, 2024, when his 10-month suspension issued by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) expires.
FIFA ratified that ban, causing it to become applicable worldwide, after Tonali admitted to placing bets on matches as part of an investigation into unregulated betting platforms in Italy.
In March, the FA charged Tonali with breaching English football's gambling rules 50 times between August and October last year, leading to fears his spell out of the game could be extended.
However, on Thursday it was confirmed that the FA had suspended Tonali's punishment for the duration of the 2024-25 season, meaning he can return in August if he does not reoffend.
In a statement, Newcastle said: "Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban from competitive football by an independent regulatory commission after self-declaring breaches of FA betting rules.
"He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.
"Provided that he does not commit any further breach of the FA betting rules during the suspension period, Sandro will not serve any part of the two-month sanction.
"As acknowledged by the FA in the independent regulatory commission's written reasons, the level of assistance Sandro has provided by self-referring and fully cooperating with a subsequent investigation is extraordinary and unprecedented.
"Sandro is continuing to follow a therapeutic plan and educational programme with the club's full support and will continue to train with his team-mates."
Tonali's initial ban has limited him to just eight Premier League appearances since he joined Newcastle from Milan in a £55million deal, while he will also miss Italy's Euro 2024 campaign.
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