Despite far exceeding all expectations so far, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe could be on the chopping block at the end of the season.
Since being appointed manager just over a year ago, Howe has turned Newcastle from a relegation candidate to a potential title contender. It is fair to say that alongside Mikel Arteta, he is in the running for the manager of the season award.
Nobody could have predicted the impact that the former Bournemouth manager would produce such a quality team in such a short space of time.
But in an exclusive interview with Caught Offside, former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore stated that he believes Howe’s job is far from safe and that he could get the sack even if he secures Champions League football.
“Newcastle United may be one of the only clubs able to hire and fire their manager at will and that’s because they have endless amounts of money to spend,” Collymore told Caught Offside.
“Don’t get me wrong, I know Eddie Howe is doing an absolutely phenomenal job there but if the Magpies do qualify for the Champions League, I’m sure the owners will at least have the conversation about sacking him and bringing someone else in with pre-established European pedigree.”
Howe has never managed a team competing for the Premier League title and this lack of experience is the main argument for letting him go. Collymore thinks that the Newcastle board may opt for a manager who has that experience but believes that it would be ‘naive’ to sack Howe.
“In terms of Howe’s experience of managing a club competing on multiple domestic and European fronts, he doesn’t have any. Maybe the owners will say ‘he’s done so well, we’ll give him a chance’ – but I do really believe they’ll consider parting ways in favour of a manager who has the experience that Howe lacks because if you’re Newcastle United and suddenly you’re in the Champions League, why on earth wouldn’t you consider going out and trying to bring in a top, top manager?
“I think it’d be incredibly naive of Newcastle United’s owners to not consider sacking Howe if they qualified for the Champions League.”
Do you think sacking Howe at the end of the season regardless of his achievements is the right thing to do?