After a defeat to Sunderland on Sunday, Newcastle United fans continue to debate whether Eddie Howe is the right man to take the club forward.
Even those who have cemented their feet into the “Howe Out” camp admit that the former Bournemouth boss has done a lot of good for the club. The man has taken us to the Champions League twice, to Wembley twice and brought a trophy to the club for the first time in over 50 years. Nobody can deny he’s been good for us.
However, some believe Howe has hit his ceiling, and that if Newcastle want to realise their lofty ambitions, they need a different manager to do so, even if reports suggest he’s going nowhere anytime soon.
We certainly don’t agree, but we respect everyone’s right to have a different opinion. And another man who doesn’t seem to agree is former England star, Wayne Rooney.
The ex-Everton and Manchester United hero has urged Newcastle fans to rethink their stance when it comes to wanting Howe out.
The BBC posted a clip of Rooney telling the Toon Army to ‘be careful what you wish’ for on X on Tuesday morning.
Wayne Rooney has a message for the Newcastle fans ⚫⚪ pic.twitter.com/9GRIbUuF97
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 24, 2026
“Be careful what you wish for. Eddie Howe is one of the best managers in the Premier League, no doubt. Don’t push him out. Don’t force, don’t keep pushing.
“I know they haven’t been great in the league this season, they have had injuries and they have struggled to replace Isak and his goals from last season, but just be careful what you wish for because there not a doubt he’s a top manager.”
Like most fans, we have issues with Howe because, and this is a world exclusive: he’s not perfect. That being said, we can’t think of anyone who could do a better job with the tools Howe has at his disposal.
The messes he has navigated and kept the team ticking over just show how good he is. Much lesser managers would’ve crumbled under it all.
He’s had three sporting directors; his biggest allies in the boardroom were forced out, he’s been let down in the transfer market, and he’s been forced to sell two very talented young players in Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson. Then there’s Alexander Isak and all of the drama he brought last season.
There may well be better, or at least more successful managers out there, but would they come to Newcastle to battle with all of that as a backdrop? I’m not so sure.