Newcastle have crucial Eddie Howe plan after decision made on sacking boss | Football | Sport

Newcastle chiefs will reportedly assign Eddie Howe a crucial role after making a decision on his immediate future. The under-fire Magpies boss has overseen a wretched run of just three wins in 10 league matches. It has left Newcastle in the bottom half of the Premier League table, seven points away from the division’s top five with seven games left to play.

It’s also been claimed that Howe is eager to oversee a summer rebuild, which is likely to involve a high turnover of players in both directions.

According to The Times, he will be given a ‘key role’ in that process. The report adds that scouts have been asked to look at every single position within the first-team squad.

It comes just days after Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson gave a wishy-washy response when quizzed on Howe’s future at the club.

“I don’t have a stance on his future,” he said. “What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt. We take it seriously. There’s nothing within us that thinks: ‘Well, it’s just three points and on we go’. It has resonated.

“I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch recently with Eddie and we talked through a multitude of things, including that.

“Eddie is our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here and we will talk about the future when it’s time. Right now, we’re focused on this season’s competition.”

The report claims that Howe was taken aback by those comments, given the apparent lack of support in the most difficult spell of his time in charge.

However, since then, Hopkinson is said to have assured Howe that he didn’t intend to whip up speculation or undermine his position.

The manager, who remains tied down until 2028, is now fully focused on preparing Newcastle for the Premier League run-in as they go in search of European qualification at the end of the season.