Luke Edwards claims Newcastle United board already know Eddie Howe's fate
Let's talk about Eddie Howe's job security, shall we? It's been about five minutes since we did.
Newcastle United's horrendous form of late has seen pressure build and build on manager Eddie Howe, and another defeat on Saturday has only added more volume to the calls for change.
It still feels like it's a vocal minority leading those calls, but that minority is getting bigger with each poor performance.
Perhaps more telling is the lack of a definitive answer from inside the club. David Hopkinson stopped short of issuing a public backing of Eddie Howe in the wake of the defeat to Sunderland, but then, a few days later, it was claimed that he still had the full support of the board.
Since then, however, Newcastle have lost two more games, and there are those who believe Howe's job is now on the line.
Luke Edwards reported in The Telegraph today that the board are set to make their decision at the end of the season, but he also mentioned that Yasir Al-Rumayyan is in town in two weeks for a board meeting. We'd be shocked if Howe's future isn't discussed there.
Luke Edwards nailed it on BBC 5 Live
Edwards has also spoken to BBC 5 Live about this, and during that interview, he claimed that the board are likely to already know which way they're leaning.
"I don't see what the end-of-season review is going to tell us. So my point is, you know, the fans are doubting, they don't want to turn on Eddie Howe because of everything he's done for the football club over four years.
He's still got the support of a big chunk of fans; the fans are arguing amongst themselves about what the best course of action is and what they should do any the club are saying, 'Oh, we'll decide at the end of the season'.
If they are going to get rid of him, if that's the decision they're going to take, which I'm sure they will already know if I'm being honest, I don't think they're going to find anything out in the remaining five games of the season. Then say that he's going so the fans can give him the send-off and show their appreciation towards the remainder of the season."
The club needs to make a statement
We get where Luke Edwards is coming from. If Newcastle lose their next five games or wins all of their next five games, what difference is it going to make to the overall feeling from this season?
If Eddie Howe can inspire the team to win each of their remaining games, and even if that leads us back into Europe, does it undo the horrific nature of some of the displays this season? Does it undo that poor summer transfer window and the total lack of action in January?
By the same token, if they go on and lose every game between now and the end of the season, it's unlikely that we'll end up in the drop zone, but our league position will be embarrassing. But does that undo the two Champions League campaigns? The Carabao Cup win and the other final? Or even this season's Carabao Cup semi-final?
The point is exactly what Edwards said. They aren't going to learn anything new from the last five games, so it's highly unlikely that they don't already know which way they're leaning, so why drag it out? The uncertainty is unhealthy.
