Newcastle United have struck gold with Eddie Howe.
After deciding to dismiss Steve Bruce of his duties at St James’ Park, the Toon leadership could easily have gone for style over substance and chosen a big name.
Instead, after being impressed by his performance, they chose Eddie Howe to take over as manager and shepherd the club away from relegation danger. Of course, this was after Unai Emery had turned down the Magpies.
Newcastle has embarked on an extraordinary adventure with Howe as a result of that stroke of luck. We just defeated Chelsea and Manchester United, but we were robbed of a Champions League victory away from home by Paris Saint-Germain.
Howe has accomplished so much in such a short period of time on Tyneside, confirming himself as English football’s finest coach.
The Toon manager is extremely forward-thinking, and current Newcastle defender Dan Burn has compared Howe to a manager he previously worked with before moving to St James’ Park.
Dan Burn compares Eddie Howe to Graham Potter
Burn appeared on The Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live on Monday night (surprisingly), and compared Howe to Graham Potter, who he worked under at Brighton And Hove Albion.
“I would say Brighton was very similar with Potter,” he said.
“I think there are a lot of similarities between Potter and Eddie Howe.
“And I’d say a lot of the things they do now, like passing drills, you will do passing drills but be in a shape. So I would start off at left-back but four passes later I would be right wing, but it was so I know what the gaffer was wanting because he’s stopping it and saying I want that, I don’t want this.
“It’s just drilled into you without you having to think about it.”
Easy to see why Burn has likened the Newcastle manager to Potter
The parallels between Howe and Potter are obvious. Neither are famous names with showy reputations, but they have both produced Premier League teams that upset the apple cart at the top.
That is precisely what Potter achieved with Brighton, who played fantastic football at the Amex Stadium. As a result, Roberto De Zerbi has taken the Seagulls even further.
Burn, who has played for both Howe and Potter, believes there are similarities between the two coaches and how they operate on the training field.
Potter eventually got the Chelsea position, which did not go well for him. That, however, was a reflection of the circumstances at Stamford Bridge rather than Potter’s managerial abilities.
Howe’s training tactics, like Potter’s at Brighton, have worked wonderfully at Newcastle. That is why both managers have been successful, and it won’t be long until Potter returns to work following his Chelsea debacle.
Howe, on the other hand, is committed to St James’ Park for the long haul.
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