Eddie Howe is a legend on Tyneside. In years to come, his name will be used as the barometer from which managerial success at St. James’ Park is adjudged.
But Newcastle United are in a rut right now, their muscly underbelly having gone soft and their snappy tactical understanding having ebbed away from the level of last season, when a pathway into the Champions League was found and the Carabao Cup was lifted after Liverpool were beaten at Wembley.
Tournament form might be good, but the Magpies languish in 14th place in the Premier League, and after three goalless draws on the road to kick things off, three successive losses have been inflicted on the Toon, all against sides sat alongside them in the bottom half.
While it’s almost unthinkable, this decline has raised conversations relating to Howe’s future at the helm.
The latest on Howe's Newcastle future
PIF have adopted a ‘don’t panic’ approach to the current issues Newcastle are beset by. But improvements will be required over the coming months. The form on the road has been shambolic, and it is having a detrimental impact on what could still be another positive and progressive campaign.
Howe’s achievements are towering, and in this, he is immortal. But United’s drop-off reeks of deeper issues than, say, 2023/24, when injuries clamped down on any scent of progress. This is more than just a tinker job: a comprehensive reset is needed.
The English coach signed a new and long-term contract on Tyneside in 2022, less than one year after being appointed. A second, furtive extension may have since been engineered.
However, he is not untouchable in the dugout, and if PIF and technical director Ross Wilson feel he has taken this club as far as he can, potential avenues will be explored.
One of which could see them focus on one of the most interesting managers on the market, and he’s currently out of work.
Newcastle could hire Howe successor
Newcastle would love nothing more than to continue their journey with Howe in the managerial role, but the side’s form is alarming, and if the situation continues to devolve, hands may be forced before the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Mirror have recently compiled a list of candidates to consider, should the club look to head down that path and find a successor, and possibly the most curious name belongs to former Barcelona boss Xavi.
The Spanish legend has been out of work since the end of 2023/24, and Fabrizio Romano said at the start of the season that the 45-year-old was interested in taking the Manchester United job, had INEOS sacked Ruben Amorim. He has, after all, said himself that he “would love to work in the Premier League”.
Xavi’s principles are shaped by slick, Barca-esque (obviously) passing patterns, and the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes could thrive at the heart of such a system.
But it’s Anthony Gordon who could benefit the most, finding more freedom down the left channel in a system that would see the Magpies soar to the top of the Premier League’s possession charts, maintaining the 4-3-3 tactical shape that Howe has enforced.
Gordon has struggled this year, and no mistake. The 24-year-old looks a pale imitation of his top-class self, with journalist Adam Clery even commenting that he looks “all over the place” at the moment.
Xavi’s sharp tactical mind could help Gordon find a solution, especially on the wing of such a fluent and commanding midfield force.
Comparing Gordon’s performances against his spectacular breakout season of 2023/24, when he posted 21 goal involvements in the league and won United’s Player of the Year award, it’s clear this is a man lacking confidence, currently showing little sign of the development expected as he matures into his left wing berth for club and country.
It is sharpness and polish which must be applied now, because for a player who considers himself among the top brass in England and Europe, zero contributions in the league this term is inexcusable.
Goals scored
0.34
0.00
Assists
0.31
0.00
Shots taken
2.49
2.75
Touches
44.35
45.00
Pass completion (%)
76.1
74.7
Crosses
3.46
2.75
Shot-creating actions
4.45
3.34
Progressive passes
3.15
3.14
Progressive carries
4.30
4.13
Successful take-ons
1.68
1.97
Ball recoveries
3.89
3.54
Tackles + interceptions
1.93
0.98
Injuries and the red card beamed at him during that frustrating defeat to Liverpool at the start of the season have done little to turn the tide for the Three Lions star, but in Xavi, Newcastle could land a progressive manager whose high-possession philosophy could work well for a fast and mobile winger like Gordon.
Would it be unfair to say that it’s all gone a little bit stale under Howe’s wing at Newcastle? The man has done so much for the club and for the city, but he won’t sit in the dugout forever, and if there is a chance to sign a manager of Xavi’s class who could reenergise the ranks, it might be a worthwhile gamble.
He’s proven he has the minerals, having won La Liga in his first year as the Camp Nou boss, leading club president Joan Laporta to call him “the best manager in the world”.
With the boss having celebrated his fourth anniversary in the hot seat several days ago, journalist Andy Sixsmith waxed lyrical, saying, “Eddie Howe should go down as one of the greatest Newcastle United managers in history.”
This is correct, and Tyneside is in concert. However, as the potential to turn the page toward a new chapter, with the idea of an exciting boss like Xavi in charge gathering pace, more may begin to warm to change, should things, as they are, continue to regress.
Neville said Newcastle star was "Shearer-like", but now he's a "nightmare"
Eddie Howe needs to ditch this Newcastle United star who was once likened to Alan Shearer.
ByKelan Sarson