- Reminder of Howe’s success at Newcastle
- Not had enough support
- Newcastle tactics lead to criticism
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is expected to retain the board’s support, despite several disappointing results in recent weeks. The Magpies have lost two big games this week, but talkSport journalist Alex Crook reports he is still the right man for the club.
On X, Crook said: “Eddie Howe retains the backing of the Newcastle hierarchy and rightly so”.
He continued:
“Many of their issues this season are at the door of the owners IMO. Isak saga should never have dragged on as long as it did.”
Many supporters have speculated what the manager’s future may be heading into the international break, but it seems he’s staying at St James’ Park.
Howe has been let down
A lot of criticism has been levelled at Howe following dissapointing defeats to Barcelona and Sunderland last week. While some of it is fair, the English manager hasn’t been placed in the best position to succeed.
The ownership has helped Howe through the years with key signings across several positions, making the Tyneside outfit a strong contender.
The 48-year-old delivered with the tools he was given, winning the Carabao Cup in 2025 and qualifying for the Champions League twice in three years.
However, heading into this season, he hasn’t been given what he needs. There were several links to goalkeepers, such as James Trafford, but that deal wasn’t completed.
The Magpies also looked set to sign Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt, but Liverpool swooped in to complete the deal for the French striker.
Due to a lack of planning for deals and the failure to secure them, many of the signings were second-choice options, made late in pre-season or at the start of the Premier League season.
The deadline-day sale of Alexander Isak added insult to injury, with the Swede being a world-class striker who scored 54 league goals in three years on Tyneside.
So far, the new introductions haven’t lived up to their price tag, with only Malick Thiaw showing consistent quality. It’s raised huge question marks over the club’s recruitment.
Newcastle criticism of Howe
Some sections of the fanbase believe it is time to change managers, with managerial suggestions having already been made.
With Howe’s success in recent years, many are questioning why there is such anger directed at him within the Toon Army.
One of the main reasons has been his tactical approach when leading games, which has seen the St James’ Park outfit adopt a more passive style, particularly in the second half of matches.
This was a key turning point in the Tyne-Wear derby, as Sunderland scored twice in the second half, while a more aggressive approach late in the game at Barcelona could have given them a better chance.
Others aren’t happy with his team selections and keeping players in the starting XI who aren’t showing up in big games, while others are critical of his obsession with using Nick Woltemade in midfield.
While an argument can be made that the board haven’t provided Howe with a strong enough squad, the Newcastle boss has failed to extract anywhere near the best he can out of the current group of players.
