Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe is expected to remain in charge despite the awful moment the club is going through, according to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh.
Responding to a fan’s question in Tuesday’s mailbag, Waugh acknowledged that Howe’s earlier success has shifted expectations around the club, with increasing pressure impacting the view of his job.
“There is some truth in that, but the problem is that context and expectations change,” Waugh wrote, noting Howe’s overachievements of late by clinching Champions League football twice and winning the EFL Cup.
“Perspective changes, and what represents relative achievement changes,” Waugh wrote, adding that a downturn in results across a long campaign has intensified negativity, particularly given underwhelming performances.
On Howe’s own mindset and potential resignation during the international break, as many fans and supporters of the club are calling for him to do, Waugh reported that Howe isn’t even remotely close to making that decision.
“As for Howe’s own feelings about his position, some close to the head coach very briefly feared he may have been questioning his own longevity post-Brentford,” Waugh wrote. “There has not been the same feeling, at least as of yet, following the Sunderland defeat. Howe was despondent during his post-match press conference and fronted up, albeit unable to provide answers for why Newcastle collapsed during that second half, but he was already looking ahead.
“The hierarchy’s view on Howe is only one element, though. Come the summer, there is at least the prospect of Howe deciding it is time to move on. He has said before he will not stay where he is no longer wanted. Perhaps if the majority of supporter opinion does shift to one of negativity over the coming months, he may decide to walk away, but, for now, the immediate post-derby expectation was that Howe would remain in situ until the summer — and probably beyond.“
Newcastle will return to action on April 12 when they face Crystal Palace in the Premier League—the only competition the Geordies are still playing in—with Howe likely to be sitting on the Magpie bench. Alas.