Eddie Howe, according to presenter Simon Jordan, may not be Newcastle’s long-term manager if the club does not finish in the top six of the Premier League.
There has been much debate about whether Howe is the perfect man to lead Newcastle to the top, but so far he has exceeded expectations.
Jordan said on talkSPORT that, while their current position is good, the owners will not want to be stuck in sixth place in three years.
Jordan says Newcastle cannot be content with sixth
PIF took acquired the club in October 2021, with the team on the verge of relegation, and it’s unlikely they expected to be in such a great position just over two years later.
Newcastle are struggling hard in the Champions League, with a crucial game against AC Milan tonight, vying for another title following a heartbreaking setback last season and maintaining a strong league position.
However, Jordan feels that if Newcastle’s performance does not improve in the next year or two, the Saudi-backed ownership would become disillusioned with Howe.
If the Magpies are still chasing a Europa League spot next year or the year after, Jordan claims that the club will hunt for a successor to Howe to truly take the club to the next level.
“Without diminishing Eddie Howe in any way, he will get them in the right direction and take them in the right direction,” Jordan stated on talkSPORT.
“Will he deliver the outcomes that Amanda Staveley has suggested she wants? Clearly the Saudi’s want, they’re not splattering money around like a drunken sailor in every other sport to subsequently make Newcastle the runt of the litter.
“What they’re doing is they play down the expectation. They’ve come to win and to win as quickly as possible and they’ve got a manger who’s exceeded expectations in the short term.
“But when we talk about the long term, is that this season? Because I don’t think in three years Newcastle will be satisfied with finishing in the top six.”
Howe’s own success could lead to his downfall
Nobody could have predicted Newcastle’s meteoric climb in the last two years, from a team without a win until January to a team playing in the Champions League in Milan, Paris, and Dortmund.
While the money has surely helped, Howe and his coaching staff have built a new culture at the club, one that is significantly different from the toxic atmosphere under the previous regime.
However, Howe’s success, reaching fourth place ahead of plan last season, has raised expectations and put a lot of pressure on him to accomplish it all over again.
As Jordan indicates, there may be some leniency this season due to the extra games and lengthier injured list, but they will undoubtedly expect things to pick up next season.
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