Eddie Howe

[Holmesy]

2 minutes ago, Turnbull2000 said:

 

Dropping 1 or 2 places from where our wage bill suggests we should be would be finishing 9-10th. 4th, 7th and 5th has been us over-performing under Howe so far. There's still a chance we'll have a par finish of 8th this season.

 

Hopefully we get shot of Wissa, and maybe even Elanga and Woltemade during the summer do a less panic driven transfer window, and have an opportunity to over perform next season with a 4-6th placed finish. But fans who think we should be top 4-6 every season are deluding themselves.

 

 

 

I'm not sure about that.

The top 5 is pretty much locked out - Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea.
The next tier is where we sit IMO - Villa, Spurs (if they ever get their shit together) and us

Next tier down - Everton probably
And then everyone else.

Given's Spurs' current plight, I would say par for us this season would be 6th and in any other given season is 6th-7th. Anything above that is over-achieving.

 

[Guillaume]

I'm 60% Howe In, but given this team needs a big overhaul, minimum 6 or 7 out/in and Eddie rarely lets a new signing play in the first 6 months, are we just going to see the same shite until next January? 

 

[Weezertron]

He gets next season. Always would have in my book. 
 

He has quite a bit to improve on though. I’m bored to shit, personally. 

 

We’ll see how badly our last summer window dents our future when the season ends and our transfer plans reveal themselves. 

[gdm]

3 minutes ago, Guillaume said:

I'm 60% Howe In, but given this team needs a big overhaul, minimum 6 or 7 out/in and Eddie rarely lets a new signing play in the first 6 months, are we just going to see the same shite until next January? 

 

That’s a total myth 

[Deuce]

2 hours ago, Stifler said:

Iraola is apparently going to Sociedad.

They’re going to can the manager they just hired and who has been doing really well?

 

edit: referring to Sociedad 

 

 

Edited March 23 by Deuce

[Gottlob]

Like many I'm a lifelong fan who feels someway bound to the club and all the same harbour lots of disdain for modern football. In my case that means I've never been as enamoured with Howe as some and at the same time he's a tether to the club and the sport, because he has done so well, leads us with such grace and is now pretty much synonymous with Newcastle. The bottom line is that I think he deserves another season and I would back him to succeed especially sans Europe, while even if I thought we had a functioning structure above him I don't see many other compelling managerial candidates.

 

There are mitigating factors all round. We rode a wave of sentiment in 2022-23 the likes of which we'll probably never see again, and he was the perfect person to harness that. We also had in Isak one of the world's top strikers for a couple of seasons, but even more importantly Bruno single-handedly gave us a midfield and you might question where we would be today without him. We have spent considerably and when you look at our resources and expenditures we are in that little bracket with Villa, outside of the top six but also at some remove from the clubs beneath us. To me that means that if we're run well we should be challenging for the top six and European places each season.

 

Howe has considerably overachieved and while 2023-24 was challenging this is the first time we've really performed beneath expectations. The concern is that some of our issues seem longstanding. I'd love to know what he wants or thinks he gets from the flat midfield. I'd like more shape and think we have left too many gaps while lacking a bit of creativity or ball retention in the final third for several seasons. On the other hand the flatter midfield gives us more coverage out wide and some would probably argue that physical, versatile players are the answer to the modern press. My guess is that left to his own devices Howe would diligently prepare the team based on the opponent's strengths and weaknesses, working on patterns of play in order to build our attacks. Perhaps in that sense we are overcoached because with a tougher schedule we seem to lack direction and there's no baseline of comfort on the ball or between players. Still for me Howe's own strengths as a coach aren't in adding new strings to players' bows but more in building great morale and giving players a sense of stability within that collective.

 

I think Howe and the team around him don't have much credit left in the bank when it comes to transfers. Thiaw and Ramsey look like good squad players but they still have to prove they can really contribute to a side with top-six aspirations, which is surely the circumstances or requirements under which we bought them. Elanga is limited and the two strikers have left us in a hole. I can't see how we go into next season without a new striker. We also need to start looking at other profiles both in terms of cost and locale and in terms of skillset. We look pretty shot right now and that is partly a consequence of a long and tiring season without goal threat, but the flaws have been there from the outset and I think overall we've been a poor side in a poor league this season.

[Weezertron]

Also, the true faith gang are a bunch of entitled bellends 

[TK-421]

1 hour ago, Miercoles said:

I'm excited for the run in with one game a week, wouldn't be surprised if we charge back up the table to a respectable position.

 

[Kilcline]

23 minutes ago, Deuce said:

They’re going to can the manager they just hired and who has been doing really well?

 

edit: referring to Sociedad 

 

 

 

Aye it's Athletic Bilbao he's linked with, not Real Sociedad 

[Sir Joel Inton]

1 hour ago, Holmesy said:

You're only as good as your last result unfortunately. What he did at Bournemouth was exceptional but eventually he bounced off a ceiling and took them down. It happens.

 

You look at the situation and say "he's done it before and i'm confident he'll do it again.".

 

I look at it and see a league that has changed, a clear pattern emerging when we play in Europe, a playbook that has become stale and ineffective, and no visible signs that our glaring weaknesses are being addressed. 

I'm sure you see the same things as well, but where we differ is that you have ultimate faith he will address them and turn it around. I'm rapidly losing mine.

 

 

Exactly this. Mourinho has done some incredible things as a manager and I love him but I wouldn’t want him anywhere near us as the league and football has moved on. His methods no longer get the same results.

 

Same could be said for Rafa too. 

 

Managers listed here as examples of why it’s important to stick rather than twist as Sir Alex and Pep, two managers who continually change and tweak their approach are the complete opposite of Howe. 

 

The whole point is if Howe is to stay he must evolve and change, something he failed to do at Bournemouth and he’s currently failing to do here.

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

3 hours ago, Whitley mag said:

I’d be happy with a younger unproven manager who has pull and might re-ignite the place a bit.

 

I think Fabregas would be an interesting choice, probably high risk but if he could get us playing good football with an exciting young team I’d be all in.

 

The place needs a shot in the arm, all managers have a sell by date and we’re delaying the inevitable going into next season with Howe. He’s not the man for a big rebuild in my opinion which is now required.

I’m leaning towards this have to say. The entire club could do with a bit of shock therapy. 

[Sir Joel Inton]

37 minutes ago, Guillaume said:

I'm 60% Howe In, but given this team needs a big overhaul, minimum 6 or 7 out/in and Eddie rarely lets a new signing play in the first 6 months, are we just going to see the same shite until next January? 

 

 

Howe has already said he doesn’t want to see the same number of first team changes next summer. Anyone who thinks Howe should remain but want/expect this big rebuild will be very mistaken.

[Nucasol]

1 minute ago, Sir Joel Inton said:

 

Howe has already said he doesn’t want to see the same number of first team changes next summer. Anyone who thinks Howe should remain but want/expect this big rebuild will be very mistaken.

We don’t have a choice. Willock needs to be sold due to him being down to his last year whilst Trippier, Schar and Krafth are out of contract. Ramsdale is on loan and Pope and Burn also only have a year left although maybe happy to accept writing any residual value off.

 

There’s a handful without even starting to discuss the purples.

[mayubeproud]

1 hour ago, Miercoles said:

I'm excited for the run in with one game a week, wouldn't be surprised if we charge back up the table to a respectable position.

If I look at this graph I wouldn't be too optimistic tbh. We had one game a week in 24/25 and yet it was a mix of mediocre results for 2/3 of the season and 2 brief good runs. Same in the second half of 23/24 season, we were out of Europe in December and we didn't rediscover our form until March.

[Sir Joel Inton]

Just now, Nucasol said:

We don’t have a choice. Willock needs to be sold due to him being down to his last year whilst Trippier, Schar and Krafth are out of contract. Ramsdale is on loan and Pope and Burn also only have a year left although maybe happy to accept writing any residual value off.

 

There’s a handful without even starting to discuss the purples.

 

Howe is here and we trigger Ramsdale’s option, without a shadow of a doubt. If either go, Pope will.

Willock won’t be sold. Schar will be extended. Krafth will depart but no need to replace as he’s barely been here. 

 

Trippier will be an interesting one. I’d not be surprised at all if Howe extended him but I would hope that’s a step too far even for him.

[Kid Icarus]

3 minutes ago, mayubeproud said:

If I look at this graph I wouldn't be too optimistic tbh. We had one game a week in 24/25 and yet it was a mix of mediocre results for 2/3 of the season and 2 brief good runs. Same in the second half of 23/24 season, we were out of Europe in December and we didn't rediscover our form until March.

Probably because of the injury list so bad there were articles written about it. 

[Guillaume]

Pope

Ramsdale

Trippier 

Krafth

Burn

Target

Willock

Elanga 

Murphy 

Osula

Wissa

Waltemade 

 

Lot of deadwood in there, as well as considering Tino is gone and quite likely at least 1 more of our 'best' players.

 

If Eddie can't see that, then it's someone else's task.

 

 

[Collage]

24 minutes ago, Kilcline said:

Aye it's Athletic Bilbao he's linked with, not Real Sociedad 

Seems very likely that it'll happen as he's from the area and played for Bilbao for over a decade.

[mayubeproud]

6 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Probably because of the injury list so bad there were articles written about it. 

It could be an explanation for 23/24, but surely we never had any distraction of European football nor injury crisis of significance in 24/25. Yet you can see that the performance during that season was also inconsistent.

[Dokko]

4 minutes ago, Guillaume said:

Pope

Ramsdale

Trippier 

Krafth

Burn

Target

Willock

Elanga 

Murphy 

Osula

Wissa

Waltemade 

 

Lot of deadwood in there, as well as considering Tino is gone and quite likely at least 1 more of our 'best' players.

 

If Eddie can't see that, then it's someone else's task.

 

 

 

This is the issue though. He'll want to keep half of them. Pope stays with another year on his contract. Think the club will take Ramsdale out of his hands and go get another. He'll want burn and tripps to stay for experience. Krafth for cover which doesn't demand to play. Targett will go, his choice and Howe didn't want him anyway. He loves Murphy so he's staying, probably a new deal. Willock he'll cash in for if anyone will take him. He won't admit failings on Elanga and Wissa. He'll want them another year. Woltemade won't fetch what we paid, so unless it's a loan to buy, we're stuck with him for a while. 

[Deuce]

There’s just no way we shift 10-12 players in a summer *and* replace them at the same time.

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, mayubeproud said:

It could be an explanation for 23/24, but surely we never had any distraction of European football nor injury crisis of significance in 24/25. Yet you can see that the performance during that season was also inconsistent.

Which consistent teams should I be comparing it with? I just don't think football works like that for the most part. Form is always a thing that happens. Even in 22/23 we had poorer moments, but they were sort of forgotten about because they were draws and imo because back then it was new and exciting.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

1 hour ago, Holmesy said:

Your contributions to this forum and this discussion are enlightening. Please don't ever leave.

 

 Aye, play the man Norman Mailer. 

[nufcjmc]

Just now, Deuce said:

There’s just no way we shift 10-12 players in a summer *and* replace them at the same time.

To be fair even Craig "no" Hope has suggested 6-8 depending on outgoings. As Dokko alluded to above how many Howe actually would want another 12 months will likely mean we have alot of the same faces next season this time I hope they are not in the starting 11 so much and are true rotation options. 

 

Out of the front 3 forwards I would be happy to shift them all but less likely unless a club comes to rescue us following a good WC the likelihood is Osula goes as he makes us "profit" and we go again. 

 

A formation change and or Wissa going back out on the wing could allow Big Nick and Wissa to still be here next season albeit in a different position than intended (and the optics of that would look awful I know). 

[365]

Howe is a fantastic manager. The only one with both ability and respect since Robson. Before Robson we have to go back to Keegan. No one else comes close since Joe Harvey. We should keep Howe as long as we can. Do not criticise him. Love him.

 

Our challenges do not relate to Howe, but to owners who have not yet sorted out investment in training facilities and a new 100,000 seat stadium, beside the current stadium, with 20,000 seats reserved for 13 to 20 year olds in Newcastle @ £5 per match.