Following the 7-2 defeat to Barcelona, the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope
was quick to defend Eddie Howe’s position.During a Q&A article before the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland, Hope noted that Howe delivered a Carabao Cup and two Champions League qualifications after inheriting a team in 19th place, before claiming that Howe is “the best manager in the club’s recent history.”
“Howe has delivered a Carabao Cup and taken Newcastle into the Champions League twice, from a starting position of 19th that
he inherited from Bruce. The Barcelona loss was not good, but there needs to be context,” Hope wrote. “I think I’ve shown over the years that I will say it as I see it with any manager, and that’s the same with Howe. What I see is the best manager in the club’s recent history.“
Hope’s rose-tinted view of Howe’s job at the helm of NUFC, no matter the historically embarrassing 8-3 loss to Barcelona, definitely contrasts with that of talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham.
“After that second half showing, a complete capitulation, I wonder what we said at half-time, it was a total mess,” Durham said after the 7-2 defeat to Barcelona. “And I think all talkSPORT listeners know by now, my policy is when you get absolutely hammered, the manager has to at least offer his resignation.
“Now whether that’s accepted by the Newcastle board or not, that’s what Eddie Howe has to do in my opinion.”
Whether Howe losses back-to-back games in what could amount to the worst week in club’s history and presents his resignation or he earns a derby victory over Sunderland, it’s clear that the man might be reaching the end of his run in the Magpies bench and that his situation will be reassed by season’s end, with his outlook hinging on the place NUFC ends up in the table.
