Newcastle United could very possibly sack Eddie Howe – even if he qualifies for the Champions League this season.
Yes, Arsenal are top of the Premier League table in what is quite a major surprise thus far.
But look no further than Newcastle in being the surprise package of the season.
Howe has got the Magpies third in the Premier League standings and on this form, a spot in next year’s Champions League is entirely possible.
But will the former Bournemouth manager be around to see the Champions League anthem echo around St James’s Park?
Not according to Stan Collymore, who has told Caught Offside that even if Howe guides United to a top-four finish, Saudi Public Investment Fund and the other shareholders on Tyneside will more than likely axe him.
He said: “I know Eddie Howe is doing an absolutely phenomenal job there but if the Magpies do qualify for the Champions League, I’m sure the owners will at least have the conversation about sacking him and bringing someone else in with pre-established European pedigree. I think it’d be incredibly naive of Newcastle United’s owners to not consider sacking Howe if they qualified for the Champions League.”
Stan is miles off the mark here, it has to be said.
Since Mike Ashley left the club, Newcastle fans have been as happy as they have been for a very long time.
There’s a massive sense of unity in and around the club now but that would change very, very quickly.
As content as the fanbase is, the majority would be livid if Howe was sacked, especially if he brought Champions League football to St James’s Park.
Politically, it would be an awful decision because the owners must know how popular Howe is – and by extension, how unpopular they could become if they were to axe him.
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