The former Newcastle United head coach has backed Howe to find solutions to the current issues
Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness
Former Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness(Image: Getty Images)
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Graeme Souness knows what it's like to experience the pressure of the Newcastle United hotseat. The former Liverpool and Scotland star took charge of the Magpies from 2004 to 2006, replacing Sir Bobby Robson at St James' Park.
His time on Tyneside didn't got quite to plan, with big-money sigings such as Michael Owen, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Albert Luque not paying off, and Newcastle would prove to be his last job in management.
Times are very different now, of course, with the Saudi-backed owners investing heavily in the side and Eddie Howe enjoying success in the Carabao Cup and twice leading United into the Champions League.
Their current Premier League campaign has been underwhelming, however, with the first muted murmurs of discontent among a small section of fans for the first time in Howe's four years in charge.
While United's home form has been impressive, they have not won on the road in the Premier League since last April, with disappointing defeats to West Ham and Brentford seeing them slip to 14th.
The Newcastle head coach retains the backing of the vast majority of the fanbase, and more importantly the club's owners, and Souness insists he is the right man to guide his side back up the table.
“Newcastle is a very difficult place – it’s one of them where when it’s going well, it’s the best but if it’s not going well, it can turn quickly," Souness told ChronicleLive, via SkyBet.
"Eddie is 100 per cent the right guy to take the club forward, he was the first to win them a trophy since 1969.
"He’s hit the wall a little bit away from home and that’s something he’ll want to put right."
Souness watched with interest as Alexander Isak pushed for a transfer to his old club Liverpool over the summer, as Howe was faced with a difficult situation.
But while the Scot was never afraid of letting his players know what he thought of them during his managerial career, he admits that times have changed, and when it comes to player demands, managers often have their hands tied.
“It’s taken out of your hands now," he added. "As a manager, you no longer have those discussions, that’ll be with your director of football and maybe those further up the chain.
"Today, the modern player is worth so much money, and such an asset, that if a player downs his tools, what do you do with him? Do you isolate him? Do you not have him anywhere near your dressing room?
"You could do that, but they might socialise with players outside of the training complex.
"So, players today make the decision for you – they have all the cards. The big players today can dig their heels and just say that they’re not going to play for you.”
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