Eddie Howe

[clintdempsey]

The Tosin deal is really annoying I agree. But since Chelsea treat players as consumables that's always a risk. PSR-wise they'll do brilliant by selling him next summer for 30+ million pure profit. From his perspective he's at worst parked there for a year earning mega dosh. And from their perspective he'll finance 4-5 younger players from abroad.

[Chicken Dancer]

Really don't know what to think tbh. I don't think Ashworth/Mitchell had grand plans of signing DCL, Kilman, Trafford, Kelly but then I have no evidence to suggest they're all Howe picks either. The comments KaKa highlighted from that Bournemouth fan do concern me, though.

 

I'll find it ever hard to say a bad word about Howe. If there's anybody who would be the one in charge when (probably more if) we eventually win something, I'd want it to be him. Absolutely adore the bloke.

 

But if it becomes apparent he's unable to work with a Sporting Director or is insistent that the targets are identified by him/Tindall/his nephew I think it will put us in a really tricky situation. Having a Fergie type gaffer who runs the club from top down is a dated model in 2024. I'm not saying players should be forced upon a manager - he should definitely have a say if not the final say - but we certainly need to do a lot better in future windows. Even the most positive amongst NUFC fans couldn't possibly dress this window up as anything other than shambolic. I'm sorry but rewind 3 years to the summer of 2021 & we signed Ruddy, Kelly & Osula (we'd have obviously been used to it by that point) but we'd still be saying how utterly horrendous it is.

 

Totally understand we're held back by PSR and rules to protect the elite. I also don't think we're unambitious by any means. The rules are the reason we've not signed anyone, but it has still been an absolute shitshow. I hate to say it but there might be a few grumblings on Sunday if we put up a poor performance & get a bad result.

[Kid Icarus]

1 hour ago, Infinitely Content said:

“I understand the fans frustration over the transfer window. We’re all in it together. We need one united cause - and that’s a cause against everyone we’re playing. What we can’t do is tear ourselves apart. We’re a formidable force when we’re united.”

Amen Edward.

Us all being united is something that has to be nutured, you can't just say we need to do it and it'll happen. With the best will in the world if the fans think you and the club have fucked up and left us weaker for it, the belief that's needed to drive it can't be faked. 

[Yorkie]

5 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

I'm sorry but rewind 3 years to the summer of 2021 & we signed Ruddy, Kelly & Osula (we'd have obviously been used to it by that point) but we'd still be saying how utterly horrendous it is.

 

But in 2021 this summer's frugality wouldn't have been preceded by us spending through the nose transforming the squad and delivering two of the three best seasons in the last 20 years. 

 

Frustrating as it is to not improve, we're not actually desperate for signings in order to be competitive. 

 

BTW I'm not saying the summer has been good, I just don't think it's been utterly horrendous/a disgrace/a shambles/a shitshow. Notwithstanding the collar on the third shirt. Which is all of those things and more. 

[r0cafella]

11 minutes ago, huss9 said:

so nowt from Hope in the presser, then?

after all his billy big bollocks shit stirring i thought he might have pushed eddie a little.

Reading between the lines i didn;t at all feel like Eddie had been fucked over, which makes me wonder if Hope was right.

 

99% of managers in his shoes at that moment would be flipping tables. 

[Infinitely Content]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

Us all being united is something that has to be nutured, you can't just say we need to do it and it'll happen. With the best will in the world if the fans think you and the club have fucked up and left us weaker for it, the belief that's needed to drive it can't be faked. 

I agree, I just don't believe it should be nurtured only by transfers, although I get that in the midst of a window with high expectations it's going to feel that way for a moment in time. The buzz of signing a player wears off anyway, it's a temporary thing - what truly counts is performances on the pitch which are enhanced by a fully engaged crowd. I think it's in the fan's best interests to try and bring that energy despite the disappointment and remain connected to the players and the coaching staff who have done nothing to deserve anything other than our complete support. I don't think that's mutually exclusive to our transfer window being disappointing for all parties, fans, coaches and players.

I am convinced that with a few good performances, hopefully beginning with Spurs on Sunday, the feeling will improve. I don't think it takes much for our supporters to be a force for good. The team will know that and hopefully raise the performance levels.

[Chicken Dancer]

1 minute ago, Yorkie said:

 

But in 2021 this summer's frugality wouldn't have been preceded by us spending through the nose transforming the squad and delivering two of the three best seasons in the last 20 years. 

 

Frustrating as it is to not improve, we're not actually desperate for signings in order to be competitive. 

 

BTW I'm not saying the summer has been good, I just don't think it's been utterly horrendous/a disgrace/a shambles/a shitshow. Notwithstanding the collar on the third shirt. Which is all of those things and more. 

 

Ah yeah I totally get that. But I just think because we were shite then, doesn't mean we need to accept having shite windows now. Back then we had an ambition to finish 17th or above every year, obviously things are different now. I refuse to believe we didn't have a plan B, C D +. Obviously there's spending for spendings sake on someone not good enough, but even as nothing more than an average bloke who happens to be a fan, I'd be pretty confident in saying there's CBs of about the same ability as Guehi available, probably for less ££. 

 

I actually agree and have said as much in my group chats - this window doesn't necessarily mean we will have a bad season. We're probably in a better position than last season for sure - the issue is so is everybody else competing for the same places in the league.

 

Hate to come across as if I'm hammering the bloke but the reports don't look grand imho. I think without Staveley here anymore (who I gather was his main ally at boardroom level) a poor finish in the league will likely see him gone. Maybe even a power struggle behind the scenes will push things to the edge. 

[Terrymac1966]

Eddie how was holding Mitchell on a one player only rope. All eggs in one basket approach was never a safe option but no ..Eddie wanted Guehi and nobody else which turned into stupidity.

[J7]

32 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

I mean we're not owed some explanation as if we've been horribly hard done by. Certainly not from Eddie Howe.

Don’t agree with this. I think they should give an explanation regarding every transfer window. It’s basic communication for a football club. We can then decide if we’ve been ‘hard done by’ or not. It’s probably the perfect time of the year for the Sporting Director to give an update.

[TRon]

22 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

Really don't know what to think tbh. I don't think Ashworth/Mitchell had grand plans of signing DCL, Kilman, Trafford, Kelly but then I have no evidence to suggest they're all Howe picks either. The comments KaKa highlighted from that Bournemouth fan do concern me, though.

 

I'll find it ever hard to say a bad word about Howe. If there's anybody who would be the one in charge when (probably more if) we eventually win something, I'd want it to be him. Absolutely adore the bloke.

 

But if it becomes apparent he's unable to work with a Sporting Director or is insistent that the targets are identified by him/Tindall/his nephew I think it will put us in a really tricky situation. Having a Fergie type gaffer who runs the club from top down is a dated model in 2024. I'm not saying players should be forced upon a manager - he should definitely have a say if not the final say - but we certainly need to do a lot better in future windows. Even the most positive amongst NUFC fans couldn't possibly dress this window up as anything other than shambolic. I'm sorry but rewind 3 years to the summer of 2021 & we signed Ruddy, Kelly & Osula (we'd have obviously been used to it by that point) but we'd still be saying how utterly horrendous it is.

 

Totally understand we're held back by PSR and rules to protect the elite. I also don't think we're unambitious by any means. The rules are the reason we've not signed anyone, but it has still been an absolute shitshow. I hate to say it but there might be a few grumblings on Sunday if we put up a poor performance & get a bad result.

 

Good points, just want to add to that, I know Mitchell has only been in the job for barely two months, but we had all summer to identify players. I really find it hard to believe we couldn't identify a RCB who could come in and do a job other than Guehi for £70m.

 

We did buy Lloyd Kelly, maybe he should be starting sooner rather than later. I don't want to watch too many games with Burn and Krafth as our CB pairing.

[Groundhog63]

21 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Us all being united is something that has to be nutured, you can't just say we need to do it and it'll happen. With the best will in the world if the fans think you and the club have fucked up and left us weaker for it, the belief that's needed to drive it can't be faked. 

 

Alternatively Howe and the club could pander to the crying mob demanding instant gratification? 

 

Think they've done pretty well "nurturing" joint enterprise enough to be cut some slack.

Seems a canny chunk have fell at the first hurdle. 

Bit surprised you're one of them tbf

[Yorkie]

1 minute ago, Chicken Dancer said:

Hate to come across as if I'm hammering the bloke but the reports don't look grand imho. I think without Staveley here anymore (who I gather was his main ally at boardroom level) a poor finish in the league will likely see him gone. Maybe even a power struggle behind the scenes will push things to the edge. 

 

I don't think that's an unreasonable concern. It's not unusual for a change in management to follow corporate/strategic shifts. That said, the Chairman still calls the shots as far as we know, and he's always liked Howe, from the word go. Meanwhile the presser soundbites indicate an acceptance from the manager on how things have panned out.

[Theregulars]

1 hour ago, Yorkie said:

 

Why should anyone have to pander to the fans at this point? No one at the club owes the supporters a thing imo.

I don’t think it’s pandering, I just would rather the club came out and said why they haven’t signed anyone as opposed to weird noises about small pools (which are factually inaccurate - there are so many players who’d improve us) and ensuring things fit for him. 
 

I don’t know and won’t know what the truth is but on balance I’m not sure Howe’s played a blinder with owners, squad or fans. 

[Yorkie]

4 minutes ago, J7 said:

Don’t agree with this. I think they should give an explanation regarding every transfer window. It’s basic communication for a football club. We can then decide if we’ve been ‘hard done by’ or not. It’s probably the perfect time of the year for the Sporting Director to give an update.

 

Obviously we deserve to be communicated with, but I don't for a second believe we need some sort of "we fucked up, please forgive us," message, which was three insinuation the post I initially quoted. 

[TRon]

3 minutes ago, Groundhog63 said:

 

Alternatively Howe and the club could pander to the crying mob demanding instant gratification? 

 

Think they've done pretty well "nurturing" joint enterprise enough to be cut some slack.

Seems a canny chunk have fell at the first hurdle. 

Bit surprised you're one of them tbf

 

Howe himself seems to be pretty pissed at not having got at least a new CB in. Looks like he's giving interviews through gritted teeth in the last couple of weeks.

[Theregulars]

1 hour ago, NEEJ said:

Gaslighting? Howay, man. I watched it live and it didn't come across like that to me at all. I think it was obvious he wasn't happy with our lack of signings, and he said that. 

 

He was asked the same question multiple times as usual, so ends up trying to give a slightly different answer to each reporter. The Irish lad asked him an absolutely pitiful question that was a straight up duplicate of a previous question, but without a contextual follow-up. "What lessons have been learned?..." 

I don’t mean just that interview - I mean the whole transfer window. I don’t think Howe or the club have been up front with fans. I just don’t accept that there’s only a small pool of players that improve our team. His hissy fit about Mitchell set a needlessly awkward tone and came across as an unwelcome power play to me. As I said earlier, I’ve no idea what’s gone on, but in my opinion (and it’s only an opinion) Howe hasn’t helped himself this window. 

[Izakaya]

Just now, TRon said:

 

Howe himself seems to be pretty pissed at not having got at least a new CB in. Looks like he's giving interviews through gritted teeth in the last couple of weeks.

He's had a face like a dropped quiche for about 3 month tbh.

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, Groundhog63 said:

 

Alternatively Howe and the club could pander to the crying mob demanding instant gratification? 

 

Think they've done pretty well "nurturing" joint enterprise enough to be cut some slack.

Seems a canny chunk have fell at the first hurdle. 

Bit surprised you're one of them tbf

 

This is just a ridiculous framing of it tbh. To suggest that being critical of what's happened in this transfer window is 'a crying mob demanding instant gratification' when Howe himself has admitted it's been shite is a deliberate misrepresentation of completely valid criticisms to try and disregard them as petty entitlement. 

 

The surprise you have for me not being part of a crying mob demanding instant gratification is mutually held for you in terms of me being surprised you'd resort to such utter tosh. 

[Geogaddi]

From the quotes below it sounds like we have tried to sign a few players but it's not happened , as Eddie implies you don't just buy players for the sake of it when we have PSR concerns and the player you are buying isn't much better than what you already have.

 

Howe was asked at his Press conference if Newcastle wasted too much time on one player. He said: "Without going into the individual situation here, we've tried to sign several players. It's never been about one player. It can never be about one player, because as soon as you're in that position, then your negotiation strength is over.

So, no, we've tried for several targets, but it still has to be the right player though. And there isn't an unlimited number of players. It's not like you can, well, we'll just go on to the next one, the next one, the next one. Because then the quality dilutes and then you have to question whether you're doing the right thing for the long-term future of the club.

"There isn't a bottomless pit of money. We're not able to spend that way. Everything that we do has a long-term consequence. So you've got to be very sure whatever you do is right for the long-term future and short-term future of the club."

[mouldy_uk]

1 minute ago, Izakaya said:

He's had a face like a dropped quiche for about 3 month tbh.

 

Is a ‘face like a dropped quiche’ the nicer version of ‘face like a punched lasagne’?

 

[Izakaya]

Just now, mouldy_uk said:

 

Is a ‘face like a dropped quiche’ the nicer version of ‘face like a punched lasagne’?

 

Aye, the facial version of 'fanny like a stamped bat' 😂

[mouldy_uk]

4 minutes ago, Izakaya said:

Aye, the facial version of 'fanny like a stamped bat' 😂

Not heard that one 

[KaKa]

39 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

Really don't know what to think tbh. I don't think Ashworth/Mitchell had grand plans of signing DCL, Kilman, Trafford, Kelly but then I have no evidence to suggest they're all Howe picks either. The comments KaKa highlighted from that Bournemouth fan do concern me, though.

 

I'll find it ever hard to say a bad word about Howe. If there's anybody who would be the one in charge when (probably more if) we eventually win something, I'd want it to be him. Absolutely adore the bloke.

 

But if it becomes apparent he's unable to work with a Sporting Director or is insistent that the targets are identified by him/Tindall/his nephew I think it will put us in a really tricky situation. Having a Fergie type gaffer who runs the club from top down is a dated model in 2024. I'm not saying players should be forced upon a manager - he should definitely have a say if not the final say - but we certainly need to do a lot better in future windows. Even the most positive amongst NUFC fans couldn't possibly dress this window up as anything other than shambolic. I'm sorry but rewind 3 years to the summer of 2021 & we signed Ruddy, Kelly & Osula (we'd have obviously been used to it by that point) but we'd still be saying how utterly horrendous it is.

 

Totally understand we're held back by PSR and rules to protect the elite. I also don't think we're unambitious by any means. The rules are the reason we've not signed anyone, but it has still been an absolute shitshow. I hate to say it but there might be a few grumblings on Sunday if we put up a poor performance & get a bad result.

 

The really unfortunate thing is that with Howe being so good at working with players, getting the best out of them and bringing them along, in theory, it should be so great having a top DOF that brings in the talent for him to work with.

 

Might be that he's just not comfortable with that though, which would be a huge shame really. And with all Howe has going for him, it could end up limiting how far he goes as a manager.

[Shadow Puppets]

53 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Us all being united is something that has to be nutured, you can't just say we need to do it and it'll happen. With the best will in the world if the fans think you and the club have fucked up and left us weaker for it, the belief that's needed to drive it can't be faked. 

Agreed, if it repeatedly happens, sure. But one bad summer shouldn’t spark a revolt in the fan base. It’s just fucking childish.

[Shearergol]

Assume next summer the targets will be:

 

new GK

new RCB

new RW

new ST

 

Or a new manager? 

 

 

Edited August 30 by Shearergol