Alan Shearer tells Eddie Howe he will be replaced by Newcastle this summer | Football | Sport
Alan Shearer thinks Newcastle will replace Eddie Howe. (Image: Getty)
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer no longer believes Eddie Howe will remain as head coach of the Magpies next season. The scrutiny surrounding Howe’s position intensified further on Saturday following United’s 2-1 home defeat to his former club Bournemouth, effectively extinguishing their hopes of securing European football next season.
It marked an eighth home loss in 11 fixtures and a fifth defeat in their previous six home Premier League matches, leaving them stranded in 14th position in the table with just five fixtures remaining. Howe had accumulated considerable goodwill after steering Newcastle to their first silverware in 56 years last season, alongside a second Champions League qualification in three campaigns.
While they progressed to the Carabao Cup semi-finals and the Champions League last 16 this term, their league performances have been dismal, and for the second consecutive league home fixture, Howe’s side were jeered off the pitch at full-time.
It promises to be a challenging summer for Newcastle as they seek to reset and rebuild, with one of the most successful periods of their modern era poised to draw to a close.
Several key players are poised to depart and while Howe continues to enjoy the support of those within St James’ Park for the time being, doubts linger over whether that confidence will endure should their current struggles persist until the season’s conclusion.
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And while Newcastle’s record goalscorer, Shearer, criticised the club’s players in the loss to the Cherries, accusing them of abandoning Howe. He also conceded that he cannot see Howe remaining in charge next season.
“Did you watch it?” Shearer asked fellow Rest is Football podcast hosts Gary Lineker and Micah Richards when questioned about his views on the Magpies’ latest setback. “I was going to say I was lucky enough but I sat and watched it and the players were terrible.
Eddie Howe is facing uncertain times at Newcastle. (Image: Getty Images)
“As tough as it is for Eddie, I don’t know what is going to happen with him. I listened to his interview afterwards and I watched him on the touchline and I just think is he going to want to go again? Is he going to get the chance to go again?
“There are so many moving parts with it for him. If all things are equal then, yes, I would like him to [stay]. But does he feel as if he is going to have the chance? Does he want to do it again? Are Newcastle going to have to sell?
“If he has money to spend and he doesn’t have to sell then, yeah. But I looked at the players yesterday and if that was what they call fighting for their manager because he is under huge pressure. Whether you like it or not. They were terrible. They chucked him under the bus, the players. The performance was c–p from every single one of them.
“It is a tough situation, a tough summer for Newcastle coming up. They have got some big decisions to make. As I am sat here, I don’t see Eddie in charge of Newcastle next season, unfortunately.
“I look at his interview after the game and I am not sure the fight is there. It is a very different club now to the one that he would want to go forward. He doesn’t look in a good position.”
