The Eddie Howe debate

It’s been a difficult season for Newcastle United.

When the final whistle sounded against Everton in the season finale almost a year ago, an unbridled wave of excitement swept throughout the fanbase. The idea that Newcastle (having bided their time PSR wise and on the back of domestic glory and Champions League qualification) were finally set to unleash a warchest that could finally propel them to the heights the elite first feared upon the completion of the Saudi takeover was one of major excitement. Unfortunately, that game was probably the last time the fanbase felt truly united as one.

A horrid summer that lead to public humiliation from not only other clubs, but even Newcastle’s own players, paved the way for what has ultimately been a pretty dismal and unfruitful campaign for Howe’s men. A number of moments (the big win in Qarabag, first leg performance against Barcelona and Osula’s late winner against Manchester United) hasn’t quite covered over the world beneath.

In truth, for the first time in his tenure, Eddie Howe looks under serious pressure to prove to PIF that he is still the man to take the Newcastle United project forward. In this piece, I will try to make a case for both cutting ties and giving him a chance to continue to steer the ship.

Let me start by saying that we can all have opinions on his ability to lead the side in the future, but any abusive or personal comments made about Eddie Howe simply shouldn’t be tolerated. Even if he was to leave tomorrow, the man has created a legacy at Newcastle that few managers have managed in the entire history of the club. Some of his football in the time he has been here has certainly been the best I have ever personally seen as a season ticket holder for two decades, and the results have went with it.

'Howe in' vs 'Howe out'

Howe transformed a Newcastle team who looked beaten and in all honestly in acceptance of the fact they were to be relegated and made them a force to be reckoned with and nigh on impossible to beat - only beaten just four games in the entirety of his first full season in charge on his way to Champions League qualification (a campaign that saw the famous demolition of Mbappe and PSG) and a cup final.

He consistently admitted that the sting of that final defeat seemed to ignite a desire in him to deliver silverware for the club and last year - he did so. The League Cup triumph was probably the greatest moment of the fanbase’ footballing lives - a culmination of an impeccable first four years and something the workaholic manager’s effort deserved, and I’m unsure anyone could deny him that.

But the question posed to the club by many at the minute is - what does clinging to past achievements actually contribute to the future? It’s absolutely fair given the gravitas of the situation Newcastle find themselves in. 12th place and a cup semi final would once have been considered a triumph under the eyes of the old regime - but we are half a decade on now, and for almost £1b of investment into Howe and his playing squad, it just won’t cut it in the eyes of the ownership.

Howe’s major issues this season for me haven’t been in the games that you don’t expect him to win against the bigger opposition - it’s been the opposite. People constantly scratch their heads leaving St James Park in wonder of how we can run Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea ragged - but look like lost schoolboys against Sunderland, Brentford and Everton.

The derby was a disgrace, and I think dissolved some of credit Howe had banked up given that capitulation of a performance. It’s one thing hitting posts and bars and just not being able to squeeze the ball home - it’s another watching a blatant lack of effort defending against your bitterest rivals. Howe’s tactical approach has been a topic of debate all season long - he struggles to adapt in game, sees things too late at times and makes preplanned, uninspiring subs that don’t seem to make any difference in the majority of games - and it didn’t help his case practically giving up at half time in the one game you simply cannot allow it to happen in.

The squad seem to have a complete lack of motivation currently to face anyone that isn’t a big club to the point it’s almost predictable. Players should never ever be given free reign and a hall pass to do as they please, but if Howe isn’t motivating them it spells problems and contributes to the fact the team have conceded almost FIFTY goals since the turn of the year. Granted, we’ve played more games than most, but this is blatant regression and a case of aging players being relied on too heavily by Howe and his staff.

Speaking of which, I think Howe would do well to have a Pep style staff clear out in the summer. Whether Howe stays or goes is one thing, but that shouldn’t be mutually exclusive to wether Tindall and co have to either, and I’m unsure fans know what he or they actually do. They certainly don’t help tactically given most conceded goals are carbon copies, they’ve struggled between four of them to work out how best to use Nick Woltemade, and honestly I’m unsure you’ll find a side in the national league as poor as we are at set pieces. Howe needs fresh new ideas and by the sounds of it, he needs them quickly to save his job.

What next?

All in all, you’d have to be pretty naive to believe the words of a Canadian millionaire who will ultimately spend his entire tenure at this football club talking in soundbites.

But if he is to believed, Howe has been given his kick up the backside and warning shot. Failure to deliver what he and the PIF overlords have planned will see an end to his tenure, I suspect.

Some fans’ minds are made up already on him given the lack of inspiring performances served up this season, and the seven games remaining will do little to win them back regardless. But for others, it seems like they are willing to trust the man who brought us our greatest day and another season of Champions League football just a year ago.

One thing that can't be debated, however, is that this is undoubtedly Eddie Howe's biggest test yet.