There are mixed opinions within the Toon Army regarding the future of Eddie Howe following Newcastle’s FA Cup exit.
Newcastle’s best chance of silverware and European football now lies in the path of the Champions League, where they face Barcelona in the Round of 16.
The Magpies currently sit in 12th place in the Premier League, even finding themselves below fierce rivals Sunderland.
They got knocked out of the Carabao Cup, and inconsistent performances from key players have left many supporters wondering what is next for Howe.
However, others argue that the English manager has put them into European contention, provided them with their first major domestic piece of silverware since the 1950s and hasn’t been given the resources to compete this season.
Even for those who veer heavily towards Howe staying or going, they might agree that both sides have compelling points.
The journey so far
The 48-year-old was appointed Newcastle boss in November 2021 following the new ownership setup, after how poorly the team was performing under Steve Bruce.
By April, Howe had won six games in a row at St James Park, the first time the club had achieved this feat since 2004 under Sir Bobby Robson.
The Magpies would go on to finish a respectable 11th place, but it wasn’t just results that quickly won Howe the support of Newcastle fans.
Under Mike Ashley, St James’ Park lacked belief in the system at the club, but the appointment of the former Bournemouth manager brought the buzz back to the Northeast.
Even with heavy defeats to Tottenham and Manchester City later in the season, Howe brought a new lease of life to many Geordie fans.
His attacking style of play provided renewed belief, and with the new ownership, they could now also strengthen heavily in the transfer market.
In the transfer window, Nick Pope, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak arrived and quickly became key pieces to Howe’s jigsaw.
Another important addition was made in January when Anthony Gordon moved to Tyneside.
Howe was rewarded with a new deal in the summer, and the improvement continued.
Newcastle went on to reach their first cup final in 23 years, and they would qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the early 2000’s.
Although they didn’t go on to beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final, all the fans at St James’ had fully bought into his project.
The following season was mixed, as although they put on one of the best games St James’ Park has seen this century, beating PSG 4-1, they would fail to reach the knockout stage of the competition and fail to qualify for Europe in 2024/25.
Yet 2024/25 showed his ability to bounce back as he led Newcastle to the Champions League once again, and they went on to lift their first major honour since the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968-69.
Howe showed that he could build a team up into challengers against Europe’s best and turn things around after tough periods.
Season of turbulence
The 2025/26 season has certainly been Howe’s most difficult season during his tenure in Black and White.
The problems started in the summer after a failed pursuit of James Trafford and the Isak fiasco, which led to late deals for Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa.
Performances haven’t been good enough in the league this season, which sees them in the bottom half, and the way Howe has utilised some of his players has been far from ideal.
The German striker has been at the centre of much discussion. After a promising start, his role changed, with him now operating in the midfield.
This role doesn’t seem to suit Woltemade’s playstyle, and after spending big money on him from Stuttgart in the summer, criticism has come his way.
Noise from the media has now gone as far as labelling him a major disappointment, which feels harsh given the conditions.
The signing of Wissa has also been a mystery to many, as the club spent £50 million on him, despite having less than a year left on his Brentford contract.
To make matters worse, he had a knee injury when he signed and wasn’t fit until December, where he has yet to play a full 90 minutes.
Whether the decision was made by the manager himself or discussions were had with other parties within the club, ultimately, the first signs of issues with these players are levelled at Howe.
Speaking of injuries, Newcastle have been decimated by them this season, and currently, the club have several players out with various knocks.
While Howe can’t be solely to blame for injuries, blame may be put on his reluctance to rotate players.
Bruno Guimaraes is out with a hamstring injury, and before that, he had played a full 90 in every Premier League game this season except one, when he has been fit.
For the first time in his Newcastle stint, some fans have begun to feel frustrated at St James Park.
During their FA Cup defeat against Manchester City, when Omar Marmoush put the visitors ahead, the atmosphere in the stadium seemed to be deflated.
In the past, Newcastle sides under Howe continued to push forward. Recently, some fans have started to begin to question whether that fight remains.
These issues are leaving many questioning Howe’s place, and they believe the club would be in a better position currently if he were relieved of his duties.
Decision to make
Club legend Alan Shearer recently spoke out on the criticism that Howe has received from sections of the fanbase.
Shearer believes Howe has set the pace at Newcastle, and he shouldn’t be shown the door.
‘I am not turning on him at all. That’s the standard he set, so when you drop below that, you are going to come in for some criticism.’
Shearer highlights the key issues. Howe has taken Newcastle to levels that the fans haven’t seen in over twenty years.
However, others can argue that due to the financial backing he has received, they should expect greater consistency.
The 2023/24 season showed that Howe can fight back after problems, but this would be the second time that Newcastle have reached Europe and not advanced while they are in it.
With the club being five years into the project, fans want the club to make the next step and be a constant challenger to European places, but can they do that with the English manager?
The owners have a serious decision to take into account during the summer months of whether he stays or goes.
Whatever the decision is, it could prove to be one of the most important moments in Newcastle’s modern history.
