Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has come under fire from some sections of the club’s fan base after the club slipped to 14th in the Premier League before the international break.
Newcastle United have played 17 football matches this season, losing six of them. These included defeats against Liverpool, Barcelona and Arsenal, all of which were defeats by one point.
But clearly Eddie Howe is under some sort of pressure, even from a disgruntled section of the fan base. Indeed, all professional football managers, especially those at the helm of ambitious and relatively wealthy clubs, are under constant pressure.
But if anyone believes Newcastle’s Saudi owners should consider making a change, they’re a bit foolish. Great clubs are made for great management dynasties and that is what Howe is able to create at St James’ Park.
And if this season doesn’t turn out as fruitful as hoped, so be it. Continuation is the key. Once you find your ideal leader, stick with him or her. It’s very simple. Liverpool achieved it with Jurgen Klopp and Arsenal achieved it with Mikel Arteta.
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Given his track record and talent, he has also achieved that with Josep Guardiola, albeit a little differently than with Manchester City. Manchester United seem to want to do just that with Ruben Amorim.
Of course, Howe has already been at Newcastle for quite some time, completing his fourth year in charge last Saturday. Things rarely work out like this, but given what he’s done the last four years, he deserves to be safe for another four years.
At the time of his appointment, Newcastle were 19th in the Premier League table, without a win in their opening 11 games. He led the team to 11th place that season, 4th place in 2022/23, 7th place in 2023/24 and 5th place in 2024/25.
He led the club to two League Cup finals, the club’s first major trophy since 1969, and is currently enjoying its second Champions League appearance. Newcastle currently sit in 6th place out of 36 teams in this season’s Champions League table.
And isn’t Howe under pressure? Really? Newcastle’s form in the Premier League clearly deserves criticism, with their last two defeats at West Ham and Brentford and their performance on the road particularly disappointing.
But there are very good reasons why the domestic agenda, and especially the whole Alexander Isaac affair, got off to such an overwhelming start. Whoever is thought to have handled the situation worst – Liverpool or Newcastle players – but one thing is certain. Howe lost his free scoring amulets…and there aren’t that many of those amulets.
We’ve seen expensive forwards take time to establish themselves up and down the league, and Nick Woltemade was no different, with one goal in six games following an opener with five goals in eight games. It also doesn’t help that fellow batting rookie Yoan Wissa has yet to make his debut due to a knee injury.
Tino Libramento has also been sadly sidelined for the past six weeks after sustaining a knee injury in the home defeat to Arsenal. There are other fitness issues, but Howe won’t use them as an excuse. He understands that his job is to improve the contribution of players who are not doing well or to find replacements.
He understands that his job is to devise a system that increases the team’s declining goal threat. He understands that his job is to take Newcastle to a higher level of intensity, especially away from home. But Howe will get the job done.
Jamie Carragher has come up with an interesting theory, suggesting Howe should pursue Newcastle whenever possible and move to England after the Euros if that becomes possible. Mr Carragher said Mr Howe had essentially let the owners down.
That’s a strong claim, but whether it’s right or wrong, one thing is certain. Those owners should do their best to keep Howe at St James’ Park for another four years.
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