Eddie Howe's fate could be decided in two weeks - Report

It feels like everything is unravelling at Newcastle United right now. So many big players are being linked with moves away, the team can't seem to remember how to play football, and the manager loses more support with each flat performance.

European football is still mathematically possible, but then, so is relegation. The most likely outcome at the end of this season right now is lower table mediocrity, which is pure Mike Ashley stuff.

Eddie Howe's future is up for huge debate after another gutless performance from his team on Saturday, but while there are those who want to see the 48-year-old frogmarched out of the club immediately, he does still have the backing of many fans, and possibly still the board, although there has been a lot of mixed messaging from inside the club of late.

Chairman, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, is due in the region in two weeks for a board meeting, and that could be make or break for Eddie Howe.

After CEO David Hopkinson went public with the reality that Newcastle will have to sell big players in the summer, are we actually surprised that the team can't seem to get themselves up for the fight? Putting such a stamp of uncertainty over everyone's positions with several games to go just seemed like a stupid move.

Then you add to that his lack of public backing for Howe in that same interview, and it's little wonder the club is struggling to find motivation, and players seem to be eyeing an exit.

Eddie Howe's job is being made harder

Eddie Howe has been handed an impossible task now of trying to motivate his players for the remaining games, and on top of that, there's endless speculation over his future, and that's now manifesting in the form of direct questions in press conferences.

Luke Edwards has written in The Telegraph today that the club needs to make a decision on Howe and communicate it sooner rather than later, so that people can come to terms with what's happening, and we couldn't agree more.

Edwards mentions that the board meeting is taking place in two weeks, and that, while not as immediate as we'd like, it is possibly when we could get some answers.

Put us out of our misery

Ideally, if Howe has the full backing of the board and is going to be given time to put things right after a disastrous summer transfer window last year, then they should come out and publicly say as much. 

All of this noise is detrimental to the mood in and around the club. Of course, not everyone will be happy if they do throw their weight behind the manager, but at least we all know what's happening. It stops the speculation and allows Howe to get on with his job.

Newcastle have to take on Arsenal before the board meeting, which is going to be a tough game to start with, but if all of this chatter is still going on, we're just making it even easier for them.