Eddie Howe, manager of Newcastle United, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Carabao Cup Final
Eddie Howe, manager of Newcastle United, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Carabao Cup Final
“They’ve won the League Cup, f—— hell. Everyone tries to get knocked out of that all year!”
That was the response of Manchester United legend Paul Scholes when asked if Newcastle United's own much-loved hero, Eddie Howe, deserves a statue after the Magpies' Carabao Cup triumph. Safe to say his response has not gone down well.
Such is the level of optimism and positivity on Tyneside in recent days, it is a valid question to be posing after United ended their long-running and well-documented trophy drought in style, propelling Howe to a level unreached by the St James' Park chiefs that have come before him in recent years.
We therefore posed the question to our team of Newcastle writers to get their verdict on the statue debate.
Lee Ryder
We always said that the next man to lead Newcastle to a cup win should have a statue built and I'm definitely in agreement that it should happen. Quite when is another matter.
I'm sure Eddie Howe will feel that it is now about the next step and that Newcastle are just getting started. To have a statue of Sir Bobby Robson but not Kevin Keegan always did not sit right for me so there's that argument as well.
If it does happen for Howe great. But there should be no rush.
Ciaran Kelly
Yes, in the future, but not right now. Why? Because I still feel there is even more to come from Eddie Howe. In a strange way, I think building the statue sooner would send out an unintended message that this Carabao Cup win was the 47-year-old's crowning glory at Newcastle when, actually, it feels like just the start.
Aaron Stokes
At the risk of repeating everyone else, it's too soon for Eddie Howe to be given a statue - but I'm of the belief he genuinely will receive one further down the line after more success. There's also no way he'd accept the honour while still in the job - and after just one trophy - anyway.
However, like many others, I took real issue with Paul Scholes' totally condescending response when asked on the matter. This was United's first domestic trophy in 70 years, Howe has taken the Magpies further than any manager in the modern era - and yes, while we've all gone a bit giddy since Sunday - the achievement genuinely is astonishing one given so many of those Wembley stars were on Tyneside long before the 2021 takeover.
Clubs may not prioritise the competition, as Scholes alludes to, but it's hard to conclude Arsenal were trying to get knocked out over two legs, while Liverpool fielded there strongest possible lineup over the weekend. It's no wonder his comments have been received so poorly across the country.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe celebrates with the trophy (Image: Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Ross Gregory
Freedom of Newcastle. A legend in his own lifetime. Is a statue the next fitting accolade for Eddie Howe?
The man has achieved what no Newcastle manager has achieved since 1969. He's surpassed the work of Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson, the latter who has his own bronze inception outside of St James' Park. Howe will, rightly, go down as one of the greatest figures in the club's history. A permanent tribute will be his at some point, I'm sure.
However, any immortalisation in bronze should wait a few years at least. I'm sure Howe himself will admit that the job isn't even half done yet for him, that he has more he wants to achieve at the club before a lasting monument to him is erected.
If we want a statue to be built immediately, I've long said that Joe Harvey should be next on the list. His feats are unsurpassed: captain of the FA Cup-winning team of 1951 and 1952; part of the coaching staff in 1955; and then the last Newcastle manager to lift silverware before Howe, guiding the club to that 1969 triumph. Even Eddie Howe has some way to go before he can match that record.
Andrew Musgrove
Eddie Howe has done what Kevin Keegan nor Sir Bobby Robson couldn't and has won a trophy for Newcastle United but that doesn't mean he gets a statue in the immediate future for several reasons.
Firstly, Howe would not want a statue because the job is far from done, and secondly, you never build a statue of someone, especially a manager, while they're still at a club.
The third reason is Joe Harvey. Howe has gone one better than Keegan and Sir Bobby but the Carabao Cup win brings him onto the level of Harvey - who won the 1969 Fairs Cup for the club.
Harvey is often forgotten about in this conversation - and while he has a plaque at St. James' Park, a man of his service deserves more recognition in my opinion.
Finally, I'm not a fan of statues - a club can have too many. Howe will be honoured in time but talk of a statue is premature, let's get some more titles in the trophy room and then revisit the question.