Howe has received the continued backing of the club's owners
Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery speak
Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery(Image: Getty Images)
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Newcastle United could attract top managers such as Unai Emery or Mauricio Pochettino to St James' Park should they decide to replace Eddie Howe at any stage - but they would have to act fast in what could be a turbulent summer.
The Magpies have consistently backed head coach Howe in what has been a difficult season, with the 48-year-old having plenty of credit in the bank.
While United's Premier League form has not been as good as they would have liked, they are in with a strong chance of making the last 16 of the Champions League, and reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
They will be underdogs for today's FA Cup fourth-round tie with Aston Villa, but the general feeling is that Howe has continued to perform well with the limited resources available to him.
United were somewhat hamstrung by the exit of Alexander Isak last summer, and decided not to spend in the January transfer window, with injuries and the hectic schedule taking its toll on the squad.
Newcastle are very much in the race for the European spots, especially after their 2-1 win over Tottenham last week, a result which saw the travelling fans show their appreciation for the head coach.
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Former United midfielder Jeff Hendrick remains an admirer of Howe, and feels the club would only decide to make a decision on his future if they felt they could get an elite manager.
"Newcastle's aim would have been to secure those Champions League spots," he told Fruity King. "Retaining Champions League football year after year is the target, even financially, it's a huge thing for a club.
"For them to be not miles off, but a good distance off it now, will hurt them and the fans because I think we all know how special those Champions League nights are there. That's a big thing.
"Eddie Howe seems quite open in his interviews generally. He does talk and takes his time when he answers questions, really thinking about his response and trying to be as honest as he can.
"After the weekend (3-2 defeat to Brentford) I saw Kieran Trippier come out, and he fully backed the manager. Obviously, he knows the manager really well, but he said the manager implements a plan and it's down to the players.
"He talked highly about the senior players, which was quite interesting. It didn't surprise me, I know what Tripps is like and the relationship he has with the manager, but it was quite good that players are taking some of the blame and saying, ‘We need to turn it around as a collective. It's not just the manager.’
"But then, on the flip side, there will potentially be a bit of heat on the manager because the fans want that Champions League football. They want the team to be pushing up the league.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe celebrates the 2-1 win at Tottenham
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe remains popular with the club's fans(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
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"If you look at it in terms of how great a job he's done, I think everyone knows how well Eddie has performed in football, especially for Newcastle, then, in the back of everyone's mind is the question: ‘Has he taken them as far as he can?’
"That's going to be one of the questions now. Is it time for a new manager, perhaps, to get them that little step forward? And that's not being negative, that's just football, it happens. We see it at other clubs, we've seen it in the past.
"I think that's a big point, do they then look to go for a bigger-name manager or someone they think can take them that little bit further, or do they maybe have a big re-jig and shuffle in the summer and try and freshen things up?
"I don't see the point in getting rid of Eddie Howe and then getting a manager of the same status. That doesn't make sense to me because Eddie is loved there by the players, the fans, and everyone, given what he's done for the club.
"So, the only way would be for an Unai Emery, Mauricio Pochettino, or if they could get one of these managers in. Unai Emery going from Villa to Newcastle would be at a similar level."
Hendrick believes it could be an interesting summer on the managerial front, with several teams potentially in the market for a new head coach.
"I think it's going to be a bit of a managerial merry-go-round in the summer," he added.." I'm actually really excited and interested to see who goes where and what that will mean for certain clubs."
"I was talking to a friend and saying what teams are potentially going to be looking for managers. It's not just in England, there are going to be teams in Europe and all, so you're going to have to get in early to get a top manager.
"We've seen it maybe in the transfer market this summer where Newcastle missed out on players to bigger clubs, so potentially they could miss out on managers to bigger clubs as well. So, I think it's really up to the clubs to get deals done early."
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