Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was left nursing another Premier League away defeat on Sunday as his side were dispatched 3-1 by Brentford in the capital. The Magpies are yet to win on the road this term and have fallen to 14th in the Premier League table.
Howe will come under increasing pressure if he can’t turn his team’s form around imminently. The Englishman has impressed during his stint in the St James’ Park dugout and is overseeing another campaign in the Champions League. But, as the cliche goes, football is a results business. So Newcastle’s mega-rich owners will be expecting more. Howe still appears to have time on his side to change his side’s fortunes. But if he can’t do it and club chiefs opt to sack him, Newcastle have four managers they could consider to replace him.
Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola has been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League since taking charge of a struggling Bournemouth team in 2023.
The Cherries have become hard to beat over the last two-and-half years after finishing 12th and ninth under the Spaniard. And they enjoyed a sensational start to the current season as they climbed to second place in the league table.
Iraola plays high-intensity, aggressive football, which will be welcomed at St James’ Park. And the 43-year-old could excel if he managed in the Champions League.
Oliver Glasner
Another Premier League manager who could be tempted to jump ship to a ‘bigger’ club is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.
The Eagles won the FA Cup last season under the Austrian and are now competing in the UEFA Conference League. And Glasner has continued to take his side forward this campaign, despite the fact Palace have lost a string of key players during his tenure. Given the backing to build his own squad in the north east, Glasner could enjoy plenty of success with Newcastle.
Erik ten Hag
If Newcastle are unwilling to pay compensation to get their hands on a new boss, they could turn to former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who is out of work after losing his job at Bayer Leverkusen in September.
Ten Hag led the Red Devils to two trophies throughout his Old Trafford tenure, which lasted two-and-a-half years.
He would be more than capable of winning silverware at St James’ Park and would expect to lead the side to a top-four finish in the Premier League with a full season at the helm.
Xavi
Newcastle could try their luck with former Barcelona manager Xavi if they feel Howe is no longer right for them.
Xavi, who spent just under three seasons as boss at the Nou Camp, won one La Liga title as Barca manager, although the team hardly excelled in the Champions League under his guidance.
The Spaniard is a big name and could yet carve out a long career as a successful manager. And with Newcastle’s financial clout, he should definitely be a candidate if the Magpies look for someone fresh to come in.