Eddie Howe

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

True Geordie is an absolute mess and an embarrassment to Newcastle supporters.  

[Lush Vlad]

I keep flip flopping on how I feel about it all.  I've fully been in my own head on the dog walks this week feeling a bit down on football in general. 

 

If I'm being a pessimist and looking at it negatively.  I think we are repeating the same mistakes over and over and I tend to agree with others who are suggesting it has gone a bit stale.

 

We don't seem to want to move to a more possession/control based approach, or we are incapable of doing so when the game requires it. 

The same midfield issues that have been hurting us for the last 3 years, are as apparent as ever. 

We try and blitz teams early on with our intensity, then we just sit right off and get hurt.  We sit off without actually defending particularly well.  We have done it in previous years, but the defending has usually been a lot better. 

We don't have a link to the forward line and creating good quality chances on a consistent basis feels like an ongoing issue.  TBF, I'm sure our xG has us mid to upper end of the table.  But I'm not opening that can of worms on here  

The summer transfer business, whilst not all being on Howe, of course.  Was pretty crap in the main.  Only successful signing so far has been Thiaw.  Even he is starting to show some limitations and bad traits.  I'm a big fan of Ramsey.  But for £40m and what has he actually brought to the team?  I'm not sure it has been a great signing.  Do we trust Howe to get it right or sign-off on the right kind of players this summer? 

A lot of players feel like they are regressing or just struggling with the physical demands of playing in a Howe team and also so many games.  Whereas for most of Howe's time here, it has felt like he has got every last drop out of his players or got them to realise their potential.  It doesn't feel like that this season. 

I think the team needs a real refresh and a bit of a rebuild, some new ideas and a different approach.  I feel like we have been found out to a certain degree.  Teams have adjusted to how we want to play and/or caught up to us physically.  

 

But then looking at it with a more positive spin.  I can counter almost all of my gripes with a genuine excuse or reason for it being that way.  Along with reasons why Howe will get it sorted. 

 

I feel like he deserves a shot at what will be be the 3.0 or even 4.0 version of his squad at NUFC.  I think he will right at least some of the wrongs of this season and with a decent summer and what seems like at least a semi-functioning setup above him now.  We really could kick on again next season.  

 

But then back to the nagging doubts.  If we were to finish say, 9th to 14th and we end the season the same way as we have played for most of it.  Not very good or wildly inconsistent.  Then I start to be a bit more pessimistic about it all again and wonder why it will suddenly change next year. 

 

Probably a bit of a moot point.  As all the noises in the media make it sound like he is here to stay.  He will have my backing if that is the case, for sure.  I love the man and it would take an awful lot for me to go full HOWE OUT.  Even then, it would be with tears in my eyes.  He is such a decent and genuine bloke and he has done so much for the club.  It would be nothing like under Pardew, Carver and Bruce.  Where I had genuine disdain for the person, as well as the shit football that was being served up. 

 

[Kid Icarus]

Thing is as well, this notion that we haven't learned from 23/24 doesn't make sense to me. The issues we had in 23/24 are completely different to the ones we have now. If we still had a ridiculous injury list it would definitely be a fair point, but we don't. 

 

[Charlies]

5 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

I wasn't being entirely serious like, if he's made good points fair enough, I just don't personally rate his knowledge and opinions on Newcastle, or like his and a lot of our social media presence for being somehow 10x more fickle and emotionally led than our fanbase.

 

The majority of last season our performances were diabolical? Don't even know where to begin if that's your view like, probably easier and quicker to just say I think that's a load of utter bollocks, agree to disagree and then we both just move on.

I agree the diabolical comment is off the mark 😂 I’m still in a huff over the weekend so it’s probably not the time nor place to be making such statements. Apologies. 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, astraguy said:

We need to see the bigger picture 

I suspect if that was going in reverse folks might question his position

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, Fak said:

True Geordie is looking quite gaunt there.

Pretendy performative anger really burns the cals off it seems

[Kid Icarus]

6 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I suspect if that was going in reverse folks might question his position

They questioned his position as they improved.  That 5th season I was sure they'd sack him, the pressure was so immense after Eddie Howe's relegation threatened Newcastle United tonked them 2-0.

 

It's probably for the best that in general football fans as a collective aren't listened to unless they've been rightly saying the same thing for a long time.

 

 

Edited March 25 by Kid Icarus

[Rocker]

8 minutes ago, Super Duper Branko Strupar said:

True Geordie is an absolute mess and an embarrassment to Newcastle supporters.  

 

The True Geordie is what happens when confidence outgrows substance and refuses to check back in.

[Kid Icarus]

6 minutes ago, Charlies said:

I agree the diabolical comment is off the mark 😂 I’m still in a huff over the weekend so it’s probably not the time nor place to be making such statements. Apologies. 

No need to apologise! We all say these things in the moment like.

[Shearergol]

Should have sacked Howe when we finished 7th tbh. 4th was our peak and any falloff was not acceptable. Nothing good has happened since.

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

They questioned his position as it improved.  That 5th season I was sure they'd sack him, the pressure was so immense after Eddie Howe's relegation threatened Newcastle United tonked them 2-0.

 

It's probably for the best that in general football fans as a collective aren't listened to unless they've been rightly saying the same thing for a long time.

Agreed, supporters are mostly reactive and emotive - it goes with the territory.  Personally, I’m alright as long as I can see what the manager is trying to do it.  At the moment I’m struggling to see it.  I’m just an anonymous internet gobshite tbf - it’s just my view.  

[r0cafella]

4 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Agreed, supporters are mostly reactive and emotive - it goes with the territory.  Personally, I’m alright as long as I can see what the manager is trying to do it.  At the moment I’m struggling to see it.  I’m just an anonymous internet gobshite tbf - it’s just my view.  

Reasonable imo and pretty much where I am. I really want to believe but I also know football doesn't stop and wait for anyone. 

[Slim]

Hard because the home Barca match and Chelsea away where both really good performances it's just the consistency issue. 

[Holloway]

I mean look at his moniker. Ugly, shouty cunt.

[TRon]

1 hour ago, Holmesy said:

This is totally unnecessary and it's sad to see Eddie's integrity being called into question because that's the one thing that isn't up for debate.
But take away the roid rage and attention seeking, and he's making the same points a lot of us are making - no evolution, easy to play through, playing/training style that isn't conducive to playing in Europe, wasted money, unable to get the best out of certain players, can't defend, and the need for possession-based football (maybe he's been reading this thread). And that is all fair.

I don't really give a shit about the derby defeat now - it hurt at the time but it's gone. That game and performance was a symptom of bigger problems that aren't being addressed though - that's the major concern.
Eddie is more than intelligent/talented enough to turn this around but it will take for him to rip up his playbook and do something different, and whether he will or not will ultimately dictate his fate.

 

 

 

 

 

I've never liked him, or his deliberately over the top opinions, but his actual breakdown of the problems are pretty much on the money. I respect the fact he's stuck to his guns from early on in the season as well instead of just jumping backwards and forwards depending on how the latest result has gone. 

[J7]

57 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Agreed, supporters are mostly reactive and emotive - it goes with the territory.  Personally, I’m alright as long as I can see what the manager is trying to do it.  At the moment I’m struggling to see it.  I’m just an anonymous internet gobshite tbf - it’s just my view.  

That’s it for me. It’s been the same all season and I haven’t seen any real sign of progression or trying to do anything different. At best, it’s stale. 
 

That doesn’t take away from his past success for me, but we’re not a travelling tribute act. I want to be confident that we’re going to progress and get better, and that the manager is the man to embark on such a big turnover of the playing squad this summer, which, for some reasons beyond his control, is unfortunately needed. 
 

I’m looking for signs as I love the man and want him so much to succeed from now on, but I’m struggling to have much confidence given the evidence before me over the past 8/9 months, plus the Everton last game of the season. It’s certainly not kneejerk to be thinking like this. 

[Geordie Ahmed]

3 hours ago, RUHRLYASLEEVESUP said:

He's scored 46 goals in 5 seasons in Prem league 

He had scored 45 in 4 seasons, 11.25 per season is not a bad return for someone that wasn't always the main striker and was sharing the goals with Toney and Mbeumo 

 

If he could have given us that same level of return we'd certainly be a few places higher in the league

 

 

[Minhosa]

On 10/02/2026 at 15:47, Minhosa said:

I genuinely cannot fathom anyone wanting him gone tbh.

 

Without wanting to recover old ground theres tonnes of mitigation dating back from Staveley/Ghoudossi leaving, right the way through to the window just closed and loads inbetween.

 

With no europe next year, I'd be massively excited to see Howe-Ball 2.0.

 

With a more measured recruitment drive, with more pragmatic sales and with a good clear out, I'd be buzzing to watch us again next season.

 

I'm ready for this one to be over tbh.

 

My big fear for him is the derby at our place. That's the one game where he's at risk of being beyond the point of no return with the matchday fan.

 

Beat them, have a stab at the CL next round or two and then lets fuck this season off into the bin and go again next year with a refreshed squad and only one game per week.

 

There's nobody better than Eddie when he's got one game per week to focus on and more time on the grass.

 

I love him more than ever me and would be gutted if he left. Absolutely gutted.

 

 

 

Having been pro-Howe and resolute in my defence of him throughout all the blips of this season, I'll be honest and say he lost a bit of me on Sunday.

 

I'd also suggest he lost quite a few of the SJP faithful too.

 

It was something I called back in early Feb (above). There is NO shame in losing to Barca or Man City. I expect it. I'm not that arsed. When these things happen, I can very quickly go about my normal routine and move forward.

 

There is HUGE shame in losing to them tramps. I'm still fucking fuming with them all now. The Manager, coaches and players.

 

It took me ages to get over the away derby defeat and I felt, at the time, that Howe and Co didn't get it. By the reaction then, they should have been in no doubt about its importance for the home derby.

 

If they really were hurting after the away 'performance' they'd have fucking prioritised the home derby over everything else. And if they say they did prioritise it then that squad have a major mentality/heart problem.

 

I don't give a fuck what the suits and bean counters want for NUFC, I don't give a shite about income from the CL, I want to beat those cunts every time we play them. That's what matters to me the most. I assume most match going fans felt the same, hence they didn't get booed off at Barca and they did after the derby.

 

With the dust starting to settle (yet there hasn't been any subsiding of my fucking anger at the pricks) I find myself really torn on Howe now.

 

Whatever happens, I feel firmly that he's earned the right to go on his own accord and his terms. I don't think you sack a manager who's delivered our first trophy in forever. I think you have a conversation, during which, he'd probably agree this year has been a clusterfuck.

 

It can obviously be traced back to last summer where we spaffed a fortune on, mostly, dogshite and blew a huge opportunity to lose a world class individual but emerge a stronger, more robust squad, with an improvement in depth and quality everywhere else albeit probably a touch weaker up top. Not that the end of last season version of Isak would have taken that much replacing in all honesty.

 

I've written before about the mitigation (in my mind, at least) for Eddie. There's tonnes of it. He's been badly let down by the clubs hierarchy pretty much throughout.

 

Having said that, we can say with almost certainty, he'd have had at the very least final sign off on all of the deals done last summer. He's therefore got to assume responsibility for a lot of it.

 

Bringing us to now, I'm now open to the idea of a change. On an entirely personal level, I don't give a shite about qualifying for the shite versions of Europe and I can't get excited about finishing 8th even if that is par. I feel badly let down after Sunday. Badly.

 

I genuinely cannot wait for the season to be over. It's been a slog and I feel like I've been at SJP every fucking two minutes, mainly to be uninspired or let down.

 

I'd also say, this feels like one of those years where we just haven't caught a break. Early on in the season, we started so well in playing Villa off the park but had no competent forward, to the first home game against Liverpool where we got robbed at the death having played so well. I also can't remember many refeering performances giving us the rub of the green either, though I'm sure someone will correct me on that.

 

Whilst not excuses, I do feel the early 'upsets' set a tone for how the season has panned out and when you then add two/three games per week on top, it's just been a relentless slog of misery for the most part.

 

Howe is an intelligent bloke. We endured a very tough league campaign the last time we were in the CL. This has felt worse imho. He simply cannot be happy with that given the budget he spent last summer. 

 

I can't say Howe has lost me completely but his massive credit levels have certainly declined and I just wish someone in his inner circle (Graeme Jones perhaps?) had told him to prioritise the derby because hes now getting shite from all angles and the one thing he does not deserve is abuse from dickheads like True Geordie and all these other social media/podcast mongs like Alex Hurst defaming his character or questioning his integrity.

 

He's a bloody good bloke who might just feel it's time for a change anyway and, if he does, I wouldn't begrudge him it.

 

I'd have liked to finish by saying I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed but thats just simply not true. I'm fuming with the bastards and still fully expect to see laughs, smiles and general joviality from all of the international players whilst we're all left to rue that fucking capitulation on Sunday for another fortnight. Get fucked man.

 

 

Edited March 25 by Minhosa

[RS]

He’s our manager. There is nobody better out there that would a) want to come here and b) improve us. 

[Jesse Pinkman]

Slot not leaving in the summer. Could be a great opportunity to upgrade to Alonso in the summer. 

[r0cafella]

19 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

Having been pro-Howe and resolute in my defence of him throughout all the blips of this season, I'll be honest and say he lost a bit of me on Sunday.

 

I'd also suggest he lost quite a few of the SJP faithful too.

 

It was something I called back in early Feb (above). There is NO shame in losing to Barca or Man City. I expect it. I'm not that arsed. When these things happen, I can very quickly go about my normal routine and move forward.

 

There is HUGE shame in losing to them tramps. I'm still fucking fuming with them all now. The Manager, coaches and players.

 

It took me ages to get over the away derby defeat and I felt, at the time, that Howe and Co didn't get it. By the reaction then, they should have been in no doubt about its importance for the home derby.

 

If they really were hurting after the away 'performance' they'd have fucking prioritised the home derby over everything else. And if they say they did prioritise it then that squad have a major mentality/heart problem.

 

I don't give a fuck what the suits and bean counters want for NUFC, I don't give a shite about income from the CL, I want to beat those cunts every time we play them. That's what matters to me the most. I assume most match going fans felt the same, hence they didn't get booed off at Barca and they did after the derby.

 

With the dust starting to settle (yet there hasn't been any subsiding of my fucking anger at the pricks) I find myself really torn on Howe now.

 

Whatever happens, I feel firmly that he's earned the right to go on his own accord and his terms. I don't think you sack a manager who's delivered our first trophy in forever. I think you have a conversation, during which, he'd probably agree this year has been a clusterfuck.

 

It can obviously be traced back to last summer where we spaffed a fortune on, mostly, dogshite and blew a huge opportunity to lose a world class individual but emerge a stronger, more robust squad, with an improvement in depth and quality everywhere else albeit probably a touch weaker up top. Not that the end of last season version of Isak would have taken that much replacing in all honesty.

 

I've written before about the mitigation (in my mind, at least) for Eddie. There's tonnes of it. He's been badly let down by the clubs hierarchy pretty much throughout.

 

Having said that, we can say with almost certainty, he'd have had at the very least final sign off on all of the deals done last summer. He's therefore got to assume responsibility for a lot of it.

 

Bringing us to now, I'm now open to the idea of a change. On an entirely personal level, I don't give a shite about qualifying for the shite versions of Europe and I can't get excited about finishing 8th even if that is par. I feel badly let down after Sunday. Badly.

 

I genuinely cannot wait for the season to be over. It's been a slog and I feel like I've been at SJP every fucking two minutes, mainly to be uninspired or let down.

 

I'd also say, this feels like one of those years where we just haven't caught a break. Early on in the season, we started so well in playing Villa off the park but had no competent forward, to the first home game against Liverpool where we got robbed at the death having played so well. I also can't remember many refeering performances giving us the rub of the green either, though I'm sure someone will correct me on that.

 

Whilst not excuses, I do feel the early 'upsets' set a tone for how the season has panned out and when you then add two/three games per week on top, it's just been a relentless slog of misery for the most part.

 

Howe is an intelligent bloke. We endured a very tough league campaign the last time we were in the CL. This has felt worse imho. He simply cannot be happy with that given the budget he spent last summer. 

 

I can't say Howe has lost me completely but his massive credit levels have certainly declined and I just wish someone in his inner circle (Graeme Jones perhaps?) had told him to prioritise the derby because hes now getting shite from all angles and the one thing he does not deserve is abuse from dickheads like True Geordie and all these other social media/podcast mongs like Alex Hurst defaming his character or questioning his integrity.

 

He's a bloody good bloke who might just feel it's time for a change anyway and, if he does, I wouldn't begrudge him it.

 

I'd have liked to finish by saying I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed but thats just simply not true. I'm fuming with the bastards and still fully expect to see laughs, smiles and general joviality from all of the international players whilst we're all left to rue that fucking capitulation on Sunday for another fortnight. Get fucked man.

 

 

 

Glad you didn't keel over. 

[RS]

2 minutes ago, Jesse Pinkman said:

Slot not leaving in the summer. Could be a great opportunity to upgrade to Alonso in the summer. 

What’s his stats like at bang average clubs?

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, RS said:

What’s his stats like at bang average clubs?

A bundasliga?

[500bhp]

24 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

Having been pro-Howe and resolute in my defence of him throughout all the blips of this season, I'll be honest and say he lost a bit of me on Sunday.

 

I'd also suggest he lost quite a few of the SJP faithful too.

 

It was something I called back in early Feb (above). There is NO shame in losing to Barca or Man City. I expect it. I'm not that arsed. When these things happen, I can very quickly go about my normal routine and move forward.

 

There is HUGE shame in losing to them tramps. I'm still fucking fuming with them all now. The Manager, coaches and players.

 

It took me ages to get over the away derby defeat and I felt, at the time, that Howe and Co didn't get it. By the reaction then, they should have been in no doubt about its importance for the home derby.

 

If they really were hurting after the away 'performance' they'd have fucking prioritised the home derby over everything else. And if they say they did prioritise it then that squad have a major mentality/heart problem.

 

I don't give a fuck what the suits and bean counters want for NUFC, I don't give a shite about income from the CL, I want to beat those cunts every time we play them. That's what matters to me the most. I assume most match going fans felt the same, hence they didn't get booed off at Barca and they did after the derby.

 

With the dust starting to settle (yet there hasn't been any subsiding of my fucking anger at the pricks) I find myself really torn on Howe now.

 

Whatever happens, I feel firmly that he's earned the right to go on his own accord and his terms. I don't think you sack a manager who's delivered our first trophy in forever. I think you have a conversation, during which, he'd probably agree this year has been a clusterfuck.

 

It can obviously be traced back to last summer where we spaffed a fortune on, mostly, dogshite and blew a huge opportunity to lose a world class individual but emerge a stronger, more robust squad, with an improvement in depth and quality everywhere else albeit probably a touch weaker up top. Not that the end of last season version of Isak would have taken that much replacing in all honesty.

 

I've written before about the mitigation (in my mind, at least) for Eddie. There's tonnes of it. He's been badly let down by the clubs hierarchy pretty much throughout.

 

Having said that, we can say with almost certainty, he'd have had at the very least final sign off on all of the deals done last summer. He's therefore got to assume responsibility for a lot of it.

 

Bringing us to now, I'm now open to the idea of a change. On an entirely personal level, I don't give a shite about qualifying for the shite versions of Europe and I can't get excited about finishing 8th even if that is par. I feel badly let down after Sunday. Badly.

 

I genuinely cannot wait for the season to be over. It's been a slog and I feel like I've been at SJP every fucking two minutes, mainly to be uninspired or let down.

 

I'd also say, this feels like one of those years where we just haven't caught a break. Early on in the season, we started so well in playing Villa off the park but had no competent forward, to the first home game against Liverpool where we got robbed at the death having played so well. I also can't remember many refeering performances giving us the rub of the green either, though I'm sure someone will correct me on that.

 

Whilst not excuses, I do feel the early 'upsets' set a tone for how the season has panned out and when you then add two/three games per week on top, it's just been a relentless slog of misery for the most part.

 

Howe is an intelligent bloke. We endured a very tough league campaign the last time we were in the CL. This has felt worse imho. He simply cannot be happy with that given the budget he spent last summer. 

 

I can't say Howe has lost me completely but his massive credit levels have certainly declined and I just wish someone in his inner circle (Graeme Jones perhaps?) had told him to prioritise the derby because hes now getting shite from all angles and the one thing he does not deserve is abuse from dickheads like True Geordie and all these other social media/podcast mongs like Alex Hurst defaming his character or questioning his integrity.

 

He's a bloody good bloke who might just feel it's time for a change anyway and, if he does, I wouldn't begrudge him it.

 

I'd have liked to finish by saying I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed but thats just simply not true. I'm fuming with the bastards and still fully expect to see laughs, smiles and general joviality from all of the international players whilst we're all left to rue that fucking capitulation on Sunday for another fortnight. Get fucked man.

 

 

 

Brilliant post with many excellent points. 

[SUPERTOON]

6 minutes ago, Jesse Pinkman said:

Slot not leaving in the summer. Could be a great opportunity to upgrade to Alonso in the summer. 

Not sure he’s an upgrade.