Eddie Howe is facing some very difficult questions at Newcastle United.
The pressure on the Newcastle United manager from sections of the support feels at its highest yet.
Though Howe has previously endured poor runs at Newcastle United, there’s something about his team’s performances that just aren’t convincing fans.
Is Eddie Howe running out of steam at Newcastle United, or can he turn it around?
Clearly, Howe is one of the greatest managers in club history and should be treated with respect.
That does not mean he gets a free pass, however. He should be held to account, as should owners PIF.
However, the Newcastle United owners face something of an impossible question.
Lack of viable candidates to replace Eddie Howe at Newcastle United
For now, Newcastle will not be sacking Howe, and even talking about it does feel somewhat disrespectful to a man who has given so many supporters one of the best days of their lives.
Still, it would also be somewhat strange to overlook the growing levels of discontent on social media.
If Eddie Howe isn’t going to be Newcastle United manager, who should be?
That is not always the most obvious barometer of genuine fan sentiment, of course, but there’s no doubt the ill-feeling on there has increased of late.
Howe has the support of PIF for now but that could reportedly change, should Newcastle’s Carabao Cup and Champions League campaigns take a turn for the worse.
The major question those who want Howe to go should have to answer is, who should replace him?
That is what the owners may need to consider, too.
For now, there doesn’t appear to be any viable candidates on offer and it’s difficult to know what level of manager would want to join if they do decide to make a change, either during the season or in the summer.
Would any manager from the Premier League’s top six join Newcastle? That feels unlikely.
Convince me otherwise: Eddie Howe gave me my greatest day as a Newcastle fan but he has taken us as far as he can
DISCLAIMER: It's not all his fault, chaos behind the scenes and PSR does not help 😡
Could Unai Emery be tempted out of Aston Villa? That would be very difficult to imagine.
Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola may compose a compelling case but is not enjoying a successful season right now and suffered an almighty injury last time out despite not playing European football.
There are, of course, plenty of options from abroad, but what level of club could Newcastle target and take their manager?
At this stage, it seems unlikely that any of the giants of French, Spanish, German or Italian football would lose their manager to the Magpies.
After all, Howe admitted that PIF have left Newcastle in limbo due to their lack of decision making.
The club just feels so stale at the moment and that’s not all on Howe, although he is not entirely absolved of blame.
Top players snubbed Newcastle during the summer. Top managers might too.
The manager Newcastle United wanted before Eddie Howe is now flying
The frustration of this season is made even more galling by Villa’s success.
Emery faced a summer of upheaval at Villa Park due to PSR issues and even lost Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle in a bid to balance the books.
Still, the Spaniard’s side are flying and are even being discussed as potential Premier League winners.
Interestingly, Emery was Newcastle’s first choice to replace Steve Bruce as manager before they appointed Howe in 2021.
Both have done excellent jobs amid difficult financial landscapes but it is currently Emery who is shining.
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