Eddie Howe has faced a lot of negative criticism this season, not only from rentagobs who will say/write anything to earn a dishonest living, but also from fans of Newcastle United.
When I choose “dishonest” to describe certain so-called pundits, it’s because I’m sure they do not believe the stuff they spout. They are desperate to justify what they “earn”, even though it is often money for old rope.
That unscrupulous tripe should be like water off a duck’s back to our supporters. It’s rubbish, albeit sometimes unpleasant rubbish, a consequence of an insatiable appetite for readers, viewers and clicks.
Throw enough dirt, however, and some of it will stick.
There’s one particular accusation that gets my goat: Eddie Howe has allegedly taken this team, this club, as far as he can. That charge is closely related to “he’s a one-trick pony, a long way below the elite level, with inflexible tactics, who refuses to shuffle the line-up unless injuries and suspensions force his hand”.
Ever since he took command of what was a sinking ship more than four years ago, we were told Howe was a short-term appointment, then a medium-term incumbent, then on borrowed time. The Saudi Arabia PIF were running out of patience and would pull the plug any day now.
Tosh, tosh and more tosh. On what basis can Sir Edward of Howe be judged a disappointment, never mind a failure?
Newcastle United have not been serial winners in the lifetime of any supporter aged under 75. The Toon Army was an unknown phrase when we won the FA Cup in 1951, 52 and 55.
Football’s playing field was more level in that era, before the odds were stacked against all except the six English clubs who wanted to help form a European Super League a few years ago.
Make no mistake, Howe’s achievements in twice qualifying for the Champions League and guiding us to a first prestigious domestic trophy in 70 years are remarkable. Our manager is a winner. That’s a rarity at St James’ Park, which is perhaps why he’s not being properly recognised.
My hope is that he will become the foundation on which an unprecedented decade of success is built.
Eddie Howe is a comparatively young manager, working under an intense media spotlight for the first time in his life. With all due respect to Bournemouth and Burnley, his previous clubs do not attract the attention Newcastle command.
As I say, the twaddle peddled by media experts is deeply underwhelming.
What does annoy me is the unfounded claim from some Newcastle United fans that Howe’s line-up and tactics are predictable. Untrue. He is constantly juggling his resources, picking horses for courses as he takes on the dark forces.
With two and sometimes three matches in seven days, he must.
I challenge any reader of The Mag to name the Newcastle United team he will pick, starting with our Champions League tie against Qarabag on Wednesday.
This would be my best guess, for what it’s worth, in a 5-2-3 or 3-5-2 flexible formation, assuming neither Miley nor Joelinton will be fit to start in Baku.
Pope; Trippier, Botman, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Tonali; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.