The debate continues to swirl around Eddie Howe's future
Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
View Image
The pressure has intensified on Eddie Howe after Newcastle United once again threw away a lead as they lost 2-1 against Crystal Palace on Sunday to leave them mired in 14th place in the Premier League table.
With European qualification a fading dream, and the team looking downbeat on and off the pitch, questions have begun being asked about whether Howe is the right man to lead Newcastle next season. It's a remarkable turn of events for a manager who just 12 months ago was being hailed as a legend for guiding Newcastle to their first domestic trophy in 70 years.
This season has been a poor one, however, and Howe's positivity has ebbed away. Newcastle's owners PIF will continue to assess the situation after David Hopkinson's lack of assurances earlier this month.
We got the views of our Newcastle United writers on Howe's future and what could happen next.
Lee Ryder
Eddie Howe should get the remainder of the season and the chance to lead the team to a respectable finish. But this is not looking good is it? Failure to get into Europe or worse still a bottom half finish could leave PIF with no option.
Howe has his fans on the pundit circuit but they aren't the ones paying hard earned cash to travel up and down the country to see the same mistakes unfold week in, week out. Failure to hold on to leads, baffling substitutions and selection and no Plan B are beginning to test the patience of fans.
Newcastle United weren't even considering a change of manager just a couple of months ago but may have to think about doing so if results don't improve quickly.
That is the reality of the situation for the powers that be with the team looking stale all of a sudden. Making such a drastic call now would be a huge decision, and the reality is that no top manager worth their salt would come in with six games to go.
Plenty of research and preparation for a successor to Howe would be required behind the scenes and that process would have to be thorough - not least to satisfy PIF's attention to detail. Given that releasing Howe early from his contract would trigger a huge payout, it's not the type of call PIF would make lightly.
Changing Howe would need a careful consideration. A new head coach would have to bring a certain philosophy and be able to work within the financial constraints in place caused by SCR.
There are some top head coaches out there who could improve Newcastle, of that I have no doubt. Now isn't the time to rattle through that list though - it is about Howe finding a win or two to restore some faith and set the team up for the last month of the season where they are in a position to fight for a European spot.
Ross Gregory
The issue around Howe's future is a lot more nuanced than just 'stay or go'. It's rarely black and white - even with Newcastle United.
I don't think that Newcastle United are in a position - yet - to attract a manager who can deliver more than what Eddie Howe has done. Newcastle are a top eight club in terms of finance, wage bill and size. That's the crux of it for me. Howe has overdelivered consistently and if you are going to bring in a new manager then he will still be working within the same parameters.
What does success look like? Is it challenging for the top four, qualifying for the Champions League or Europa League, winning trophies and going deep in knockout competitions? If so, then that's what Howe has done. Not so much this season but then does one bad campaign mean you dispense of your best manager in a generation?
Like I say, though, it's more nuanced than that. While I don't think Newcastle can get someone who is a significant improvement on Howe at his best, the Magpies manager is clearly well below his top levels right now. He's struggling for answers, he's looking flat and it's a concern. United may not be able to attract a manager better than the best version of Eddie but they probably can find someone to perform better than he is now.
The question then is whether the club feels Howe can regain his mojo in the summer, find the answers and deliver that rebuild alongside Ross Wilson that will continue 'overperformance'. Bringing someone new in who is just going to bob around the top eight feels like a waste of time.
Andrew Musgrove
It's a situation very few Newcastle United fans want to see their club or Eddie Howe in. I truly believe that anyone calling for Howe to go does so with a heavy heart. He's given supporters the best day of their footballing lives as he guided United to the Carabao Cup - and he will go down as a legend for that. But right now things aren't clicking. And in truth, they haven't done for a long time.
Howe deserves to remain in post for the next six games - and I hope he can pick up the wins to silence those questioning him but make no mistake, the questions being asked of him are valid. The system looks tired, the lack of creativity is a concern and United's vulnerability at the back has been a sorry story of their season.
The biggest issue is that what we saw against Crystal Palace wasn't a one-off, it's become the norm. The players need to take some responsibility and show some fight for their manager but it is Howe ultimately who needs to come up with the answers, and fast.
Newcastle are at a crossroads and in reality, I don't think the next six games matter too much - the season is all but done. What matters is whether Howe has the energy and belief in himself to start a massive rebuild this summer, and whether the hierarchy believe he's the man to lead it.
I hope he does - and I hope it works out, and we're sitting here in two years time with another cup victory to celebrate but the gloomy reality of the situation is that many can't see the next win this season, let alone the next trip to Wembley.
There are huge concerns - and Howe is the only man to answer them. If he can't, Newcastle will likely be joining the busy market this summer filled with clubs needing a new manager.
Stuart Jamieson
There are two ways Newcastle United can breathe new life into their ambitions. They can either revamp the entire squad or change the manager and coaching staff. The latter is a lot easier to achieve, but there are no guarantees. Who can United realistically bring in who will be better than Howe? The list is not a lengthy one.
United don't have the resources to change the squad enough to make a significant difference, so I fear it will be Howe and Co who are sacrificed come the summer.
My concern is that he is now starting to look beaten, something we've not seen in the previous five years. Given what he's achieved in his time at the club, there is no one I would rather trust to take Newcastle into the next stage of their development, but the reality is that the message is no longer getting through to this group.
The decision has to be made early. Either back Howe and allow him to play a big role in summer recruitment, or make the tough call and let the new man influence transfer decisions. Waiting to see what next season brings - once the window is closed - is no good for anyone.