TalkSPORT pundit calls for Eddie Howe to step down after Barcelona defeat as Newcastle prepare for Sunderland derby
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been told he should consider resigning following his side’s heavy Champions League defeat to Barcelona - just days before the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland.
The Magpies were beaten 7-2 at the Camp Nou, crashing out of the competition with an 8-3 aggregate defeat in what was their heaviest loss in a European knockout tie. Despite a competitive first-half showing, Newcastle collapsed after the break, with a series of defensive errors proving costly.
The result has sparked a strong reaction, with talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham calling on Howe to offer his resignation in the aftermath of the defeat. “After that second half showing, a complete capitulation, I wonder what we said at half-time, it was a total mess,” Durham said live on air.
“And I think all talkSPORT listeners know by now, my policy is when you get absolutely hammered, the manager has to at least offer his resignation. Now, whether that's accepted by the Newcastle board or not, that's what Eddie Howe has to do in my opinion.”
Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton, who was also in the studio, took a more measured view and suggested the timing of such a move would be questionable given the looming derby. “It was just bizarre to see how easy they made it for Barcelona,” Ashton said. “Now I wouldn't go as far as you to say the manager needs to offer his resignation because they've got a game at the weekend that could change the mindset completely.”
Howe himself struck a disappointed tone after the match but stopped short of any dramatic conclusions, instead pointing to costly mistakes and a drop-off after half-time. “A tough way to go out,” Howe told TNT Sports. “Really strange to try and sum that up because first half, I thought we were excellent. Quite a lot of individual errors that have ultimately cost us. In the second half, we were nowhere near as good as the first. They deserved to go through.”
Despite the scale of the defeat, Howe says the focus must immediately shift to Sunderland, with no time to dwell on the disappointment. “Yeah, I've got no problems picking myself up. It's more the players. I'm able to move quite quickly through things in the game and the review process to then think of the future very quickly,” he said.
“Now it's all about Sunderland. It's not about what's happened today. It's about learning from today and evolving and changing if we need to. But it's about the next game and making sure we're mentally ready, physically ready for what's going to be a huge game for us and for the whole city. So I think that's quite a good game for us to go straight into because there's no time for any other thought than that one.”
Newcastle will be seeking a response in the derby after losing 1-0 in the reverse fixture in December, and Howe acknowledged the significance of the occasion. “Yeah, it's huge. I think it's difficult for me to talk about it. I think we've just got to play. We've got to play like our lives depend on it,” he added.
“It’s such a big game for the city, for our supporters, for everyone connected with the club. We know that. We knew that before the first game. We know it even more now, so we need to deal with this very quickly and then look to Sunday.”
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