Into the Easter break and the sun is shining.
What better than having lunch with my wife son and daughter at a local Portuguese restaurant.
Only snag, the kids are teenagers.
The lad has morphed from the nice smiley kid that previously accompanied me to Newcastle United matches, to this aggressive and angry fifteen year old who takes umbrage at any comment I make.
So over my plate of Pork and clams, with a nice bottle red wine, conversation naturally turns towards football as always.
Greg: “So do you fancy the Carshalton game on Monday. I can get us tickets and we can stand with the Rabble.”
Chuks: “Uurgh maybe yeah whatever. You’re just gonna drink and talk nonsense with Haddock and Leighton anyway. Yeh I’ll go.”
But the fracture lines are bigger and deeper here.
Chuks is of the Eddie Howe out camp after the Sunderland defeat and is in the thirty second Tik Tok brain mode.
Chuks: “Why do you love Eddie Howe so much? Arsenal have won the league. They are the best team, they are top of the league and we are NOT getting Europe.”
Greg: “Seven games to go, that’s a possible twenty one points and I fancy us to get at least a point at Arsenal. We deserve to turn them over after they robbed us at St James’ Park in the manner of a Stoke City team under Pulis. Our run in is pretty good and we should pick up a fair few points. You never know…”
Chuks: “We need to get rid of Howe now. We need a manager who can get Woltemade playing in his natural position. Wissa is rubbish, get rid. Tonali is gone at the end of the season anyway. We need a new manager.”
I try to explain that sacking Eddie Howe would have Man U licking their lips, the thought of a young manager with proven Premier League experience available and with the financial clout that Newcastle United cannot provide. Do we want to hand them the advantage?
Chuks: “Oooh, bow down to Eddie Howe because he won a trophy. We need to be in the Champions League. I’d happily take Michael Carrick for Eddie Howe, look at the league positions.”
And there you have it.
The age of instant gratification brought to you through digital media.
We need to stick with Eddie Howe at all cost. Alex Ferguson had some poor results at the start of his Old Trafford reign and some Man U fans wanted him out. Ferguson, unlike Howe, was not restrained by financial fair play rules made up on the hoof.
If we stick with Eddie, back him and the team, we will get the results we deserve.