Born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, in 1977 (45 years old), Eddie Howe was first a player before becoming a coach. With 7 seasons under the clock in the colors of Bournemouth and 270 matches played (13 goals), the current Newcastle manager has made a name for himself with the Cherries. Especially for his coaching. The former central defender had a successful first stint with his former team (2008-2011), before truly making a name for himself during his second stint (2012-2020), which saw the AFCB move from League One to the Premier League in just 3 seasons. A meteoric rise for which Eddie Howe is largely responsible.
And for good reason, the “gaffer” managed to confirm the exceptional trajectory of the Cherries in the elite of English football, by ensuring the maintenance of his team on several occasions, to help the club stabilize in the PL. Better still, the Magpies tactician managed to make Bournemouth a trendy and exciting team to follow, through the development of young Nathan Aké (ex-Chelsea), the explosion of Ryan Fraser (14 assists in 2018/19), the use of senior players (Lewis Cook, Harry Arter, etc.) and the help of the formidable duo Callum Wilson – Joshua King at the time. A period which will see the Cherries finish in 9th place in the championship in 2016-2017. Enough to mark the spirits for Eddie Howe.
A thunderous arrival in a legendary, but sick, club
Before Eddie Howe officially landed on the Magpies bench in November 2021, the team then led by Steve Bruce was at its worst. Newcastle did not win a single match in its first 14 days of the Premier League. A disaster which puts the club in 19th place in the championship, just before 2022 and a second part of the season which promises to be legendary. Indeed, the new management has carte blanche in the winter transfer window thanks to the takeover of Newcastle by a Saudi consortium. The English coach will therefore see the arrival of Bruno Guimarães (€42 million), Chris Wood (€30 million), Dan Burn (€15 million), Kieran Trippier (€14 million), Matt Targett and even Matty Longstaff, returning from ready. Not very flashy names at the time even if the club was hardly attractive given its situation (and the choices paid off).
But from 2022, the Magpies become untenable, unplayable, as if possessed by a manager convinced that the Saudi project is on the right track. Eddie Howe is a breath of fresh air and will reinvent the role of certain players, then maligned. This is the case with Joelinton. Recruited for €44 million from Hoffenheim in 2020, the Brazilian striker has transformed into a versatile midfielder, capable of providing both defense and attack. Kieran Trippier becomes the leader of the XI while Guimarães regulates the midfield. Howe trusts his soldiers, such as Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock and Fabian Schär, without forgetting the elusive Allan Saint-Maximin on his left flank. The results are convincing, Newcastle finished in 11th place in the Premier League by winning 49 points in total, their best record since 2013-2014 and a certain Alan Pardew. It promises.
The machine is launched, how far can it go?
In line with a historic second part of the season, Newcastle achieved the feat of qualifying for the 2023-2024 Champions League by finishing 4th in the Premier League in 2022-2023. Well helped by a grandiose transfer window which will see Alexander Isak (€70 million), Sven Botman (€37 million), Matt Targett (€17.5 million) and Nick Pope (€11.5 million) arrive in the bays from St James’Park, Eddie Howe proved that it was now necessary to integrate – or reintegrate – the Magpies among the English big names. The latter could even have won their first trophy under the Saudi era in the Carabao Cup, finally beaten by Manchester United in the final (0-2). Nothing serious, the Eddie Howe touch has already had its effect.
And justly. With its sports policy which seems better structured than some of its competitors, Newcastle has once again been spending this summer, without deviating from its strategy: bringing in the profiles desired by Eddie Howe. The English coach has control over his squad. It was he who preferred to bet on Lewis Hall (19 years old, 9 PL matches with Chelsea) by snatching him from the Blues with the help of a paying loan to the tune of €40 million, while Marc Cucurella was also considered. It is he who is campaigning for the arrival of Sandro Tonali (€64 million) or even those of Harvey Barnes (€44 million) and Tino Livramento (€37 million), although injured with the Saints last year.
Today, the pressure is not the same. The Magpies are expected to turn the corner and discover Europe. And it showed against AC Milan despite the draw (0-0). In the championship, Eddie Howe’s men are now targeted by the English ogres: defeat against City (1-0), Liverpool (1-2) but also Brighton (3-1). Nothing alarming but still. Offensively, the residents of St James’Park seem much more armed than before, as demonstrated by the humiliation inflicted on Aston Villa (5-1) for the opening of the PL and more recently, the slap sent to Sheffield United (0 -8). The tone is set and the challenge promises to be immense against Paris Saint-Germain, for a poster that is as exciting as it is atypical on paper.
