There is no doubt that the nature of Sunday’s defeat at Sunderland has caused huge concern across the Newcastle United fanbase.
Players have been slated and Eddie Howe has been questioned, leaving us under pressure to respond heading into two vital home fixtures against Fulham and Chelsea this week.
Sections of the fanbase online have signalled a growing lack of faith in Howe, but it seems that opinion is not shared by Newcastle United’s owners.
Writing for The iPaper, North East reporter Mark Douglas revealed the ‘message from the top’ following Sunday’s disaster is that Eddie Howe retains their full backing.
He reveals that Monday morning conversation saw Howe receive a message of support from the current ownership, with senior figures at the club believing now is the time to ‘respond, not react’.
Douglas adds that Howe’s record over the past three seasons and ability to navigate tricky waters means Toon chiefs retain “total confidence” in the 48-year-old to turn things around.
A sense of unity remains behind the scenes and while the need to improve this ‘short term pain’ exists, the club’s ‘long-term plan for success’ very much features Eddie Howe at the centre of it.
Howe’s previous achievements on Tyneside won’t get him a free pass forever and now feels like a key period, but I believe the club are right to keep faith and trust him to pull us out of this tricky patch.
Results must improve, especially away from home, we can’t remain in the bottom half, we need to regain our identity and Howe must find a way to make this faltering team click again at both ends of the pitch.
Let’s hope all of the above happens soon, starting tonight and the prospect of yet another Carabao Cup semi-final appearance should we see off Fulham at St James’ Park.
Look at Emery at Villa. Sitting in bottom 3 without a win after 5 games. Now sitting in top 3 after 10 wins out of 11. Bringing Buendia back from being available for transfer to playing regularly helped. Then Rogers & Watkins return to form, but mostly a switch to playing more direct until the confidence came back.
Long term investment has its ups & downs. Most managers nowadays can only do quick up/down swings like a Short term trade a la last decade Mourinho. Most fans are insecure but can’t see how the loss of stability isn’t easy to get back in this job, it becomes a managerial change every year (Spurs/ManU/Chel/Forest…). Playing every 3 days was always going to bring dips in form. The time to look at major personnel changes of any nature ought to be in the summer. For now, need to support the team.
Neither team deserved to score/win in the derby. However, Mukiele perhaps should’ve seen Red for the BDB challenge (he knew he couldn’t get the ball & used his knees so he wouldn’t get a Red, he knew exactly what he was doing) & Brobbey a clear 2nd YC for stamping on Miley. A man advantage from the first half could’ve led to a different outcome & even performance. This has happened for at least the 4th time this season with NUFC – Liv/Ars/Wolv. Just because its the derby we forget these guys were in a high intensity 95min battle in Leverkusen 3.5 days earlier while 5under1and had the whole week to prep. Yes they needed to be better, but lets not give the PL/Super League 6/Sky/BBC etc what they want – for us to implode & jump on each other. Last season mid-Dec we went on a 9 win run incl 6 in the league. Just need a reset at some point, the points table is still quite close. The growing injury list though is a worry.
P(Quote)
Emery is an elite manager. Howe is not. Nonsense comparison P. We’ve seen this same season play out two years ago.
Scott(Quote)
It’s the recruitment and management team not Eddie Howe (unless he is doing this as well) we’ve wasted a summer chasing Guehi, then missed every forward we were after saying we would be acting quickly in the market, we’ve then panicked and bought Ramsey, Elenga, Wissa, and woltermeade for over £210 mil this was just wasted money, the only player we’ve brought in in the last two seasons who has been decent is Malik Thiaw,, we also need to get rid of deadwood players, Willock springs to mind, but there’s others, we can’t be sentimental.
MorpethMag(Quote)
the dreaded vote of confidence !
Hendo(Quote)
Never in the history of the premier league has an owner NOT backed a manager.
Saudis abhor conflict.
Saudi police are the nicest police on the planet, right up to the point that the cell door goes “clang”
If PIF think that Howe and Co are costing them money he’ll be gone faster than you can say “where’s Kashoggi?”
Daveys **** Mate(Quote)
Completely agree, Sunderland have gotten the better of a lot of good sides this season with shithousery of a level we used to employ, maybe they studied us.
kimtoon(Quote)
P:- Regarding Mukiele, let’s hope he gets some special treatment dished out to him when
we next meet with the “knee”!
Also hope BDB recovers soon following this act of thuggery!
Joseph(Quote)
We’ve seen in the last three seasons we’ve had a poor start to the league, now we’re in the champions league along with cup games, late summer signings and significant injuries to deal with added to the busy schedule, in Howe we must trust, we always seem to come good late December start of January, here’s hoping we go on another good run HWTL
Gareth Forbes(Quote)