Eddie Howe‘s put in a good shift at Newcastle United, hasn’t he?
Five years ago, when the incipient PIF takeover commenced in April 2021, few could have envisaged the Magpies flying into the Champions League (two times in three years) and beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup.
To borrow a phrase attributed to former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, he has turned doubters into believers, a shrewd tactician and an exceptional project manager, establishing an intense and single-minded focus.
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Eddie Howe’s Premier League Journey at Newcastle |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Points |
League Position |
|
25/26 |
42 |
14th |
|
24/25 |
66 |
5th |
|
23/24 |
60 |
7th |
|
22/23 |
71 |
4th |
|
21/22* |
49 |
11th |
However, Howe has taken this team as far as he can. United have been spinning their wheels for too long, with their Premier League defeat by the hand of Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend keeping them down in 14th-place.
The chances of playing in Europe next season are slim, and it’s probably a good time for PIF to make a change in the dugout. They will need to secure the right replacement, though, and that won’t be easy.
Premier League coach wants Newcastle job
While there are some who feel that Howe has earned the right to lead Newcastle for many years to come, given the credit he has put into the bank over the last few years, the reality is that football doesn’t work that way, and with key players likely to leave this summer, a fresh slate might be the best way forward.
Should Howe be sacked when the inevitable end-of-season review comes around, any number of managers have been linked. Among them are Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini, and while both coaches are among the most esteemed of their generation, Premier League champions, their methods and tactics are arguably old-fashioned, and United need to make a progressive appointment.
That’s why Newcastle have to prioritise Andoni Iraola, who will become a free agent this summer when his contract with Bournemouth expires. According to Football Insider, the 43-year-old would be interested in taking the Magpies job, should it become available.
Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao have both been named as options for the Spaniard, emphasising the urgency for PIF, who can ill-afford to make a mess of their Howe successor, if he is indeed sacked.
Why Iraola could be the perfect Howe replacement
Now that Bournemouth have confirmed that Marco Rose will replace Iraola at the Vitality Stadium, it’s clear that Iraola is going to land himself a top job ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
He will have the pick of so many options, but Newcastle could be the perfect role for a young coach who has already surpassed expectations in the Premier League.
Iraola has transformed Bournemouth, not only lifting them up the table but rewiring them as a free-flowing attacking unit, one that is in contention for a European spot and one who have just beaten league leaders Arsenal.
Hailing from the Basque Country, the “elite” Iraola, as described by pundit Jamie Redknapp, is a childhood teammate of one Mikel Arteta, and he could actually shape into Newcastle’s own version of the Arsenal manager over the coming years, taking the reins at St. James’ Park and developing the team over the coming years into a title-winning superpower.
This is the objective that PIF have set, and if they are going to realise that goal, they should move for a manager whose 4-2-3-1 tactical set-up has bore great dividends in the Premier League over the past few years, with transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano hailing him as “one of the best managers in the Premier League“.
Bournemouth are in contention to qualify for Europe this season, and their resourcefulness in the transfer market under Iraola’s wing is akin to Arsenal, who have made a series of brilliant signings since Arteta replaced Unai Emery to return to the forefront of Europe.
Arteta shaped Arsenal into a force over several careful years. Howe has done the same, but Iraola might have the mindset and momentum to lift Newcastle up to even loftier heights, establishing them alongside the likes of the Gunners as bona fide title candidates.
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