Ciaran Morrison

Sun 5 April 2026 12:28, UK

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Newcastle United’s Saudi ownership should not be making decisions by committee and need to show stronger leadership.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, as Eddie Howe’s future remains uncertain on Tyneside.

Howe’s position as manager has come under increasing scrutiny at St James’ Park this season, and chief executive David Hopkinson admitted that he doesn’t have a stance on his future at the club.

The ownership have also yet to confirm whether they will redesign St James’ Park or build a new stadium, whilst plans for a new training ground have not advanced.

Meanwhile, Newcastle need to decide whether to back Howe in the summer transfer window with key players expected to depart at the end of the season.

Expert has ‘big concern’ about Newcastle’s ownership

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – states that Newcastle’s ownership need to be showing “decisive leadership” on issues like Howe’s future.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness believes that the Magpies can’t be making “knee-jerk” decisions.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “They’ve now got themselves from a position of being euphoric about Eddie Howe winning a trophy to, is Eddie Howe going to be there?

“All those sorts of things are in the background now. It’s going to take decisive leadership rather than being run by a committee. And that would be my biggest concern right now at Newcastle is that PIF are running things by committee.

“They’re using reports and analysis of things rather than actually getting things done and making decisions, because if you’re going to make 100 decisions, you’re going to get 10 right and if you make 10 decisions, you’re going to get the same 10 right.

“Sometimes you’ve got to act with experience and knowledge and not knee-jerk.”

Newcastle move avoids rules breach

Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Newcastle would have breached financial rules had they not sold St James’ Park.

The stadium was sold for £172million to a company owned by the club’s shareholders, but the move could face an investigation and a fine by UEFA.

The club’s 2024-25 financial accounts showed record revenue had been made, and the stadium sale meant they generated a profit of £133.1m.