Eddie Howe

[nufc4eva]

Howe has a lot of influence even in game, timing of subs and who subs are, switching the way we play - how high we press or how to organise ourselves or changing it up mid game to counteract opposition. Yes players responsibility to execute the plan but Howe has shown he doesn't see the danger and adjust, it's the same thing every game and too late to make subs or wrong subs - yesterday bringing Barnes on right was wrong move, as was bringing Woltemade off when should have paired with Wissa when we needed a goal.

[Sir Joel Inton]

4 minutes ago, Cf said:

 

But he's not the one taking the penalties. Maybe he chooses the right takers, does the necessary research, but on the day the opposition keeper chooses to dive left instead of right like he usually does. Or our best penalty taker hits the woodwork. Whatever. 

 

The point is whilst obviously the manager is a highly influential role they're ultimately not fully in control of what happens on the pitch. They can set things up the best they can (like the opposition manager will be trying to do) and at that point sometimes all you can do is see how the chips fall. 

 

In that sense I'm not worried. There's an argument that we've been a little stand back at times and lost our aggressive bit but I'll put that down to the sheer volume of fixtures and trying to manage fitness. And outside one or two games I don't think the performances have been bad. We're just not having the chips fall for us. It happens. 

 

But he is the one who has had a 38 game league season and 3 cups to play out a successful season.

 

If he makes a decision to focus on one cup, rather than the league then it’s a decision he will have to stand up to if one of the small margins of error along the way go against us.

 

 

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Klopp and Edwards did often disagree, there's loads of examples of it, but Klopp came in before Edwards and I'd be stunned if Edwards was brought in without Klopp being in the loop and being given the opportunity to give his two penneth.

 

I don't think Howe would have reacted like he did in that interview without Mitchell doing that car crash one first, but it was widely reported that Mitchell was hired without Howe being part of any discussions or even being in the loop until it had happened, and Howe's interview definitely pointed towards that being a problem - "as long as I'm happy and left to do what I do" or whatever it was.

 

It was a braindead move by Eales really. No idea what he was thinking. With hindsight it looks like a power move with a terrible hire who everyone immediately disliked.

And this is where a bit of disconnection exists imo. Ultimately Eales was CEO and doesn't answer to Eddie Howe. We tried and failed to get in Friedman and Eales didn't want it to drag on. Mitchell's comments were obviously badly worded, and it's difficult to grasp the point he was trying to make. 

 

At the end of the day, I'm sure we can both agree that Eddie was happy to see the back of him though. 

[The Prophet]

23 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I see this summer of chaos thing quoted a lot, people citing it as the factor for our poor start but I'm really curious to hear what would be different if we had Ross Wilson this summer? I mean time will tell but I don't think it say keeps Isak (he wanted out regardless imo) or convinced any of those missed targets to join us. 

 

Having a link between the board and recruitment team may have enabled decisions to be made quicker.

A senior voice may have offered different perspectives and fresh targets.

He may have vetoed certain deals.

We may have sold differently.

We may have managed the Isak situation differently.

[Yorkie]

26 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I see this summer of chaos thing quoted a lot, people citing it as the factor for our poor start but I'm really curious to hear what would be different if we had Ross Wilson this summer? I mean time will tell but I don't think it say keeps Isak (he wanted out regardless imo) or convinced any of those missed targets to join us. 

 

The lack of a DoF wasn't the principal reason for why we stumbled in the summer. You know my view on what is number one and all the executives in the world wouldn't remedy that.

[r0cafella]

Just now, The Prophet said:

 

Having a link between the board and recruitment team may have enabled decisions to be made quicker.

A senior voice may have offered different perspectives and fresh targets.

He may have vetoed certain deals.

We may have sold differently.

We may have managed the Isak situation differently.

Ok let's tackle these one at a time from my POV of course. 

 

Fresh targets? Mitchell offered them yet we ended up signing 3 targets which predated him. vetoed certain deals? Maybe but I doubt it. I expect Ross Wilson to sign players Eddie wants and nothing much more. 

Sold differently? Again I doubt this as other posters have pointed out we have had and continue to have pleasure on our books who are well past the sell by date at the managers behest. 

How would that have been managed differently? Although I will give you that one as we couldn't have handled it much worst. Very happy he turned out to be shit for them. The alternative isn't something I want to think about  

[SUPERTOON]

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

Having a link between the board and recruitment team may have enabled decisions to be made quicker.

A senior voice may have offered different perspectives and fresh targets.

He may have vetoed certain deals.

We may have sold differently.

We may have managed the Isak situation differently.

Not sure any deals Howe wanted in the summer would have been vetoed tbh. Personally think it was a big part of the reason Mitchell went. Howe won the power struggle between them. I’m glad Mitchell went btw.

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, r0cafella said:

And this is where a bit of disconnection exists imo. Ultimately Eales was CEO and doesn't answer to Eddie Howe. We tried and failed to get in Friedman and Eales didn't want it to drag on. Mitchell's comments were obviously badly worded, and it's difficult to grasp the point he was trying to make. 

 

At the end of the day, I'm sure we can both agree that Eddie was happy to see the back of him though. 

Not answering to Howe doesn't negate everything that Eales could have done short of that that wouldn't have jeopardised working relationships with one of the most important people at the club, it was extremely unprofessional and self-sabotaging from Eales (if true) imo.

 

Yeah, I think we're all happy to see the back of Mitchell, not least because even the timing of him leaving characterises what's so wrong about him. Wish more people had read that Monaco forum around the time he came here, it was basically all the stuff we say about him now.

[Matt1892]

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

Not sure any deals Howe wanted in the summer would have been vetoed tbh. Personally think it was a big part of the reason Mitchell went. Howe won the power struggle between them. I’m glad Mitchell went btw.

We were linked with Elanga the summer before when Mitchell was here, he is someone Eddie has had his eye on for a period of time rather than a last minute panic buy.

[r0cafella]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

Not answering to Howe doesn't negate everything that Eales could have done short of that that wouldn't have jeopardised working relationships with one of the most important people at the club, it was extremely unprofessional and self-sabotaging from Eales (if true) imo.

 

Yeah, I think we're all happy to see the back of Mitchell, not least because even the timing of him leaving characterises what's so wrong about him. Wish more people had read that Monaco forum around the time he came here, it was basically all the stuff we say about him now.

I disagree with your last point. If your Mitchell and your supposed power evaporates you have to leave as a professional courtesy. Expecting him to put his name to players who weren't his wasn't the play. 

 

We afforded Eddie the same courtesy with Count Vlad after all  

[SUPERTOON]

1 minute ago, Matt1892 said:

We were linked with Elanga the summer before when Mitchell was here, he is someone Eddie has had his eye on for a period of time rather than a last minute panic buy.

Aye, Mitchell made it perfectly clear after that widow he had nothing to do with that targets that window.

[The Prophet]

Howe doesn't select our targets by the way. It's been covered by the Athletic, but we look for unanimous approval across the recruitment team. Howe gets the final "OK" as per most major clubs in England.

 

With that in mind, you could see how a senior voice in that team could offer fresh ideas. It sounds like Mitchell failed because it was his way or the highway.

[Kid Icarus]

34 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I see this summer of chaos thing quoted a lot, people citing it as the factor for our poor start but I'm really curious to hear what would be different if we had Ross Wilson this summer? I mean time will tell but I don't think it say keeps Isak (he wanted out regardless imo) or convinced any of those missed targets to join us. 

I think at the very least we'd have operated more professionally and less leakily. All else being the same, I think we'd have been oblivious to some of the targets we missed because it would have been kept under wraps, or we'd have not wasted time targeting them in the first place.

 

That was the big thing for me in the summer I think, just how leaky everything was.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[SUPERTOON]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

Howe doesn't select our targets by the way. It's been covered by the Athletic, but we look for unanimous approval across the recruitment team. Howe gets the final "OK" as per most major clubs in England.

 

With that in mind, you could see how a senior voice in that team could offer fresh ideas. It sounds like Mitchell failed because it was his way or the highway.

Only three on the recruitment team last summer wasn’t there? However, Nickson and Andy Howe? I’d be amazed if Nickson approved Elanga or Ramsey tbh.

[Kid Icarus]

2 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I disagree with your last point. If your Mitchell and your supposed power evaporates you have to leave as a professional courtesy. Expecting him to put his name to players who weren't his wasn't the play. 

 

We afforded Eddie the same courtesy with Count Vlad after all  

He left on the eve of the transfer window, apparently with absolutely no one having any hint it was going to happen until it did and leaving us in a position where we had no time to get a replacement. I wouldn't call that professional courtesy tbh, but agree to disagree.

[Sibierski]

17 minutes ago, Cf said:

 

Did I imagine the bit where we had Man Utd pinned back in their own half for the majority of the game at Old Trafford. 

 

Granted we lacked the finishing touch but I'd say in terms of overall performance/game flow that was very different to other away games this year. 

Mount being forced off at HT, then every change Amorim made was a conscious choice to sit off more helped. It was better, granted, but look at the XI that ended that game, Christ. 
 

Take the name Man Utd out, that XI was honestly bottom 5 stuff. 

[SUPERTOON]

1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

He left on the eve of the transfer window, apparently with absolutely no one having any hint it was going to happen until it did and leaving us in a position where we had no time to get a replacement. I wouldn't call that professional courtesy tbh, but agree to disagree.

The club knew a few weeks before that Mitchell was leaving. That was confirmed by the athletic at the time.

[The Prophet]

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

Only three on the recruitment team last summer wasn’t there? However, Nickson and Andy Howe? I’d be amazed if Nickson approved Elanga or Ramsey tbh.

 

Reuben too I think, but you can't imagine he'd be there from a target perspective.

[Kimbo]

4 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Howe doesn't select our targets by the way. It's been covered by the Athletic, but we look for unanimous approval across the recruitment team. Howe gets the final "OK" as per most major clubs in England.

 

With that in mind, you could see how a senior voice in that team could offer fresh ideas. It sounds like Mitchell failed because it was his way or the highway.

Elanga and Ramsay getting unanimous approval is frightening.

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

The club knew a few weeks before that Mitchell was leaving. That was confirmed by the athletic at the time.

Who's the club in that situation? Eales was on sick leave. Howe said he didn't know it was happening IIRC.

[Heron]

45 minutes ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

Internally it was very much accepted that Isak would leave. 

 

But regardless, you can’t not have a Plan B as a PL/elite manager. You cannot write off a whole season because one player was sold who was actively pushing for a move since the end of last season.

The season isn't written off though is it. Last time I checked we were only half way through and we were in all 4 competitions.

[Matt1892]

Mitchell clearly left at a time to cause maximum disruption, I’m not sure if he is even working now or not.

 

I think he was going to make a move to replace Howe if we failed to qualify for Champions League and when that didn’t happen, he walked.

[SUPERTOON]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

Who's the club in that situation? Eales was on sick leave. Howe said he didn't know it was happening IIRC.

Aye, sorry Howe didn’t, but the club did so Reuben and PIF I assume. The article said the club kept it from Howe as to not distract from the run in.

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

Aye, sorry Howe didn’t, but the club did so Reuben and PIF I assume. The article said the club kept it from Howe as to not distract from the run in.

Everyone above Howe has really escaped so much of the scrutiny in all of this like. Howe didn't just bail them out but also took nigh on all of the flack for the fallout from their lack of preparation.

[Shadow Puppets]

1 hour ago, Cf said:

 

If you think you have the right man, and I'm confident that we do, you don't throw away years of progress because of some short term bad form.

This 10000x