- Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been under pressure
- English coach’s departure might benefit three players
- A trio will rue his exit
Eddie Howe is widely expected to remain at St James’ Park this summer, although nobody really knows what PIF are thinking at this stage. There is, of course, still the chance that Howe could depart, which would be somewhat divisive given the current split among the fanbase.
A lot has been made of what the contingency plan might be should his tenure come to an end, but most of it thus far has focused on who the successor might be and whether they could actually do a better job.
Should the club hierarchy decide to pull the trigger and gravitate toward pastures new, there will inevitably be some who meet their demise as a result and some who would prosper in Howe’s absence.
Loser: William Osula
It is no secret that William Osula has improved exceptionally and largely thanks to the guidance of Eddie Howe.
We are currently seeing Osula edging ever closer to blossoming into a very solid Premier League option, if not beyond that. If Howe were to leave now, the next manager may not be so patient with his development and could well see him as an asset to sell rather than one worth keeping.
Osula’s value is arguably at an all-time high as we speak. There are still question marks over whether now may be the right time to cash in on Osula, something Eddie Howe has been open about, seemingly dismissing.
All things considered, someone new coming in would likely not see it that way, and Osula’s minutes would likely be dropped massively, or he may leave the club entirely.
Winner: Bruno Guimaraes
This one may come as a bit of a shock to some, but Bruno Guimaraes could benefit greatly from a fresh system, one that perhaps favours more possession and periods of forward-thinking, sustained creativity.
Under Howe, Guimaraes has, in many ways, been forced to become a relentless presser who covers huge ground defensively. Although he has shown he is more capable of doing that, Guimaraes could be so much more if placed in a system that allows complete creative freedom and in a team that actively looks to retain the ball.
Newcastle often look to play in quick transition under Howe, which, again, Guimaraes can do very well. But it does undeniably limit his ability to pull strings. A fresh face could unlock an even more impressive side to Bruno that we have yet to see in a Newcastle shirt.
Loser: Joelinton
Despite Bruno Guimaraes being one of the biggest winners, his Brazilian counterpart would undeniably be one of the biggest losers.
Howe has made Joelinton what he is today. Shifting his position from a rather hopeless striker to a physical, athletic midfield battering ram who has become an integral part of the Magpies’ central structure.
Joelinton has thrived under the ‘intensity is our identity’ mantra, but put him in a more technically reliant setting under a different manager, and he would likely be one of the first replaced.
Even in Howe’s system, the fans have been clamouring for the Brazilian to be replaced by the more adept Jacob Ramsey, a sentiment which any new manager would likely reinforce in his selections.
Winner: Nick Woltemade
Woltemade is an interesting one, as his unique profile makes him a rather polarising footballer.
But if the support of managers like Julian Naglesmann is anything to go by, there are a lot of managers out there who see and understand exactly how to get the best out of Woltemade as a number 9, which is what he was brought in to be initially.
Howe has already shown he doesn’t quite have the ability to get the best out of the German, mainly because the system needed to be changed so much.
Whilst that has altered in recent weeks and Woltemade now seems to have found a role that suits him in a Howe system, it does feel as though someone else could come in and get more from him in terms of raw output.
Loser: Dan Burn
If Eddie Howe left and almost any other manager in world football came in, Dan Burn would be condemned to the bench.
With Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman as the clear first-choice centre-backs and Lewis Hall the clear starting left-back, to everyone else other than Howe, Burn would almost certainly be either sold or kept around as an experienced head for the dressing room.
The modern way is ball-playing centre-backs who also have the physical attributes, whereas Eddie Howe is a manager who massively favours pure height and physicality – especially from set pieces.
A new coach would likely want a bit more pace, someone who can seamlessly play a higher line where required and someone who can break lines in possession – neither of these comes to Dan Burn naturally.
Winner: Lewis Hall
In tandem with Dan Burn being a loser, Lewis Hall would definitely be a winner in the scenario that Howe leaves.
The left-back has all of the attributes to be one of the best full-backs in the world. Whilst he has been able to show that under Eddie Howe, just imagine how good he could be if a new manager with a more technically reliant system came to Tyneside.
It feels almost like a parallel situation to the one just mentioned with Bruno Guimaraes. Hall is undeniably one of Newcastle’s best players, but it does feel as if he is being held back by the current tactical shortcomings of Eddie Howe’s system.
