After something of a kerfuffle, Newcastle United have appointed Eddie Howe as the replacement for Steve Bruce as manager.
It’s a significant appointment, the first move heralding the new era on tyneside. However, Eddie Howe isn’t coming into a behemoth like Manchester City or Chelsea. His first priority will be to save them from relegation this season.
Eddie Howe could well turn out to be a fantastic manager for the Newcastle project. The question is whether he will be kept on when Newcastle start signing superstars.
Read: Josh Kroenke May Just Be Shamed Into Doing The Right Thing
Project is the right word, because that’s exactly the kind of manager Howe is. He took Bournemouth from League Two all the way to the Premier League, and kept them there for five years.
Howe is experienced at building a team from the ground up and playing an attractive style of football. He is also experienced at fighting relegation.
He might not get the credit for it because Bournemouth generally did quite well. However, he was fighting relegation every season when he was there. He could be ideally placed to steer Newcastle away from the trapdoor and then build them up. It all depends on whether the hierarchy above him are attracted to a more glamorous name further down the line.
Read: West Ham United And David Moyes Are Here To Stay
For a young manager, he’s also hugely experienced. At just 43 he’s managed 450 games. That’s almost halfway towards his predecessor Steve Bruce, practically a grandfather of football, who reached the 1,000 mark before he was sacked.
It will be fascinating to see how he succeeds with ample resources. He managed a team in Bournemouth with no budget to speak of. What will an Eddie Howe team look like when he can sign any player he wants?
