Keith Wyness drops PIF verdict after Eddie Howe sack latest at Newcastle
Newcastle’s current issues are not necessarily down to Eddie Howe’s coaching skills at St James’ Park.
That is according to former Everton, Aston Villa and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, who exclusively told Football Insider that it would be a mistake if the Magpies sacked their manager at present.
Howe has been under heavy pressure at Newcastle, with the club currently on course to miss out on European football next season.
Keith Wyness: Newcastle should stick by Eddie Howe
Howe has been under heavy pressure at St James’ Park this season.
Currently Newcastle are 10th in the Premier League, eight points off fifth place.
While they have been solid in the Champions League, and are still in the FA Cup, their performances in the league have left much to be desired.
Nevertheless, speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness has urged Newcastle to stick by Howe, believing that their squad is in need of an upgrade.
He said: “We’ve got to see how PIF look at how they could reinvest more in the club. Can they
get more sponsorship revenue in, which I’ve always believed they should have been
trying to do.
“It’s difficult. They’ve got a new commercial department at Newcastle. Can
that perform? A lot of things here, and as I say, the new CEO has set his stall out that they’re going to be one of the top five clubs in the world, big ambition when you
haven’t really got the bullets to fire to get there.
“But I think right now, one thing, changing a manager would be a huge mistake. They’ve got to get through it. They’ve got to fight through it. They’ve got to be clever with Ross Wilson. They’ve got to be really smart in that market. But I think there’s going to be some changes.
“Some of the squads starting to age, the Joelintons, et cetera, are starting to show some
signs of wear. They haven’t quite got it right up front yet either. So there’s some issues
around the whole squad, but it’s football side to me that is the issue in terms of
selection of squad, not necessarily Eddie Howe is coaching.”
- Read more: What Eddie Howe’s players did to Newcastle away fans in Azerbaijan says it all about this club
What are the odds of Newcastle qualifying for each European competition?
According to Opta on 21 February, Newcastle are currently highly unlikely to be in a European competition next season.
As it stands, they have just a 0.92 per cent chance of qualifying for the Champions League.
In comparison, they have a 2.80 per cent chance of going into the Europa League next campaign.
The odds of Conference League qualification are not currently set, with Arsenal or Man City not yet certain for a top-six finish in the Premier League.
Therefore, winning the FA Cup may be Newcastle’s best chance of reaching Europe, with the winner of the competition awarded a place in the Europa League.