Shay Given has jumped to the defence of Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
View Image
Newcastle United legend Shay Given has rubbished talk that Eddie Howe's position as head coach may come under pressure after the club's difficult start to their Premier League season
Despite a positive start to their Champions League campaign and reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, the Magpies have found life tougher in the Premier League.
United are 13th in the league table after 10 matches and have lost more matches (four) than they have won (three) in the Premier League so far this term. Performances had largely been positive, though, but Sunday's sobering 3-1 defeat to struggling West Ham United was a dreadful display and Howe's side have come in for some criticism off the back of it.
Howe himself was the target of social media abuse over the weekend, despite having guided the Magpies to Carabao Cup glory eight months ago.
Watch Newcastle vs Athletic Bilbao on TNT Sports
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image
Content Image
But Given expects Newcastle to still come good in the league this season and has quashed any talk his position will come under any scrutiny if they do not recover to qualify for next season's Champions League.
"No, I don't think it puts him in a difficult position. I think from day one, he’s been the perfect fit for Newcastle," Given told 10bet.
"The way he’s been with the new owners, the way he talks to the press. He got them the Champions League two out of three years, and they will remember he brought them up from the relegation zone. He gave them their first trophy in 70 years.
"I was there 12 years, I know how they feel at the club, how difficult it was for the fans. So I think there's a huge amount of credit in the bank for Eddie.
"I think he is the perfect fit for Newcastle with regards to the way he speaks after games, before games, even after the defeat at West Ham. I mean, it's a poor performance and he's not come out and tried to cover anything up.
"He's very honest with the fans and the media as well. He says if it wasn't good enough and there's something they have to improve, they have to rectify. Going back to the start of the season, they want to be in the Champions League every single season.
"Eddie knows that. I'm sure that's the message from the owners and the powers that be as well. So of course that brings pressure to his position, but I don't think there's any worry about his job or anything like that."
And Given is expecting Newcastle to show a reaction to their defeat to West Ham by beating Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"After the loss against West Ham, there'll be a reaction, I think," Given added.
"I think they will be frustrated after the defeat on Sunday. Things felt positive beforehand, and it felt like West Ham was a chance to get the monkey off our back in terms of away form.
"However, the performance wasn’t great, so there is some frustration because of that. You can only imagine what the sort of talk was this morning in the training ground and what it’ll be in the next couple of days building up to the game on Wednesday.
"They need a reaction, they need a response and they need to get a win. Newcastle, they have ambitions of going far in the Champions League and, and getting back in the Champions League. So you're going on all fronts. And I suppose the only positive thing I take from yesterday is when you have a bad performance, Wednesday is coming quickly for them to get it out of their system.
"It's like we go again and again. I've no doubt that the stadium will be rocking on Wednesday night. And again, players have to perform better than they did yesterday. I think they will. I don't have any fears about that.
"The concern will be the next away game basically in the Premier League and what do they do in that."