Sources: Eddie Howe ‘fighting for his job’ at Newcastle United as PiF sack stance revealed
Eddie Howe is under huge pressure at Newcastle United and is now fighting for his job for the first time, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking to Football Insider’s Insider Track podcast, editor Wayne Veysey revealed that Saudi-based owners PiF have growing concerns over the manager, 46, despite his massive popularity with supporters and the impressive strides the club have made during his two years and two months in charge.
It is believed the club’s hierarchy are worried about Newcastle’s dramatic downturn in results and Howe’s capabilities of achieving their short and medium-term ambitions.
PiF are hugely ambitious and their aim is to build Newcastle into an established member of European football’s elite capable of challenging for the major trophies every season.
Sources also told Football Insider that the owners never saw Howe as the man to fulfil the club’s huge ambitions and instigate a dynasty-like reign akin to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool or Pep Guardiola at Man City.
He was always seen more as a team-builder able to develop players and put the building blocks in place for more globally renowned managers to then take Newcastle to the next stage.
The Saudis are hugely concerned regarding the drastic dip in form from the Magpies, who have lost seven of their last eight games in all competitions.
An injury crisis that has regularly deepened over the past two months has contributed to four defeats in their last five Premier League matches have left the Magpies ninth in the Premier League, 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal and outside the European places for the first time since August.
Newcastle have suffered humiliating losses to the likes of Luton Town and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and crashed out of European football after finishing at the foot of their Champions League group.
It is likely that Howe will remain in charge for the team being, but there will need to be a huge improvement for him to still be at St James’ Park next season.
With Premier League games against Manchester City and Aston Villa to come before the end of the month and a delicate FA Cup third round tie against Sunderland, there is a danger their fortunes could get worse before they get better.
In other news, Newcastle plan for January defensive upgrade revealed.