If Pep Guardiola didn’t want Newcastle United job – Plenty other viable replacements if Eddie Howe goes | OneFootball

Regarding Eddie Howe, no one could argue against the fact that he’s done a remarkable job.

Perhaps, under the circumstances, better than anyone else could have done.

However, if we look objectively (lies, damned lies and statistics???) at his Premier League performance for the calendar year of 2024…

His points total during this year to date of 43 points from 27 PL matches, extrapolates to 60 points in a full season.

Looking back, 60 points was what Newcastle United had to finish in seventh place last (2023/24) season, then previous seasons a total of 60 points would have got you 8th (2022/23), 6th (2021/22), 9th (2020/21) and 6th (2019/20).

There may well be extenuating circumstances (injuries, lack of signings, Boardroom changes, etc) but despite having almost a full squad to choose from, with 12 points from the opening eight PL matches, we are currently on target for only 57 points for this 2024/25 season. Which is not too dissimilar from the 2024 year-to-date extrapolation of 60 points. It paints a ‘weary’ picture of mediocrity!!!

The team has become stagnant and the: poor performances, predictable tactics (insistence on playing 4-3-3 and no plan B), unimaginative set pieces, inability to break down teams, 60-minute substitutions, etc reflect the insipid staleness.

It’s true that new players would have brought a fresh impetus, but it seems to me that Eddie’s insistence upon playing 4-3-3 has been sussed out and teams know very well how we’re going to play – with inverted wingers always cutting inside – and they smother our all-too predictable attacks.

Perhaps Eddie Howe, approaching three years in the job has: burned himself out, reached his level, lost some confidence, is insecure after the summer Boardroom shenanigans, who knows?

However, his last nine months in charge (extrapolating to 60 points in a full season) is not at all good enough!

It may be controversial, but I’d give him ‘til Christmas, and if there’s no significant improvement, reluctantly plot a different course.

Eddie Howe has done a fantastic job but it’s maybe time for a change and there’s only one man for the job!

Pep Guardiola sees his contract run out next summer.

Ask him to name his price and give him whatever he wants – it’s a once-off opportunity. If we want to be the very best we have to employ the very best.

In the event that Pep Guardiola somehow rejected this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to manage the World’s wealthiest Club, whose ambition is to be #1 in the world, and will provide him an opportunity whereupon he could truly build the best team in the World from a Club that had won no domestic honours since 1955, then, so be it, but I’d throw the kitchen sink at him, and give him whatever riches he desires. There’s only one Pep and he’s years ahead of anyone else.

Other available candidates could be: Edin Terzic (Dortmund coach ECL Finalist 2024), Roger Schmidt former Benfica etc. Allegri (formerly Juventus).

However, none of them come close to Pep Guardiola, who is in the last year of his contract and is obviously just waiting for the call…