Srećko Šijaković 
It is unavoidable.
Newcastle chased every major target during the transfer window and were met with rejection after rejection. The season started badly: Newcastle were poor, disjointed, and unconvincing in the Premier League. It is the Champions League campaign that has so far saved their season from total collapse.
Newcastle will now face Qarabağ in the Champions League play-off for a place in the next round. Qarabağ earned this position through strong performances in the early stages of the competition. Newcastle, however, arrive at this tie with serious growing problems.
The issue is not only the results. This season should have been ideal for Newcastle. A team that was strong in previous campaigns, with momentum and stability, should have been competing for European places in the Premier League and satisfying the expectations of its supporters. In a highly competitive Premier League, Newcastle had enough quality to win open matches week after week. With better management, they could realistically be close to—or even ahead of—Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool in the table.
This season in the Premier League, with so few differences, was made for Newcastle, who could easily catch European positions again.
It started badly:
The terrible summer exposed deeper structural problems at the club. Early in the season, Eddie Howe could still rely on excuses: a poor transfer window, the early phase of the campaign, fatigue, and a lack of chemistry. But those excuses no longer hold.
The problem is now with the manager, Howe, who is underperforming and is offering nothing. Eddie Howe does not develop players on an individual level. He consistently makes poor tactical choices, particularly in attack, and we know how his defence is vulnerable.
In previous seasons, he had so much trouble with poor decision-making in making the Newcastle defensive line. There is no visible progress, no evolution, and no indication that he will suddenly become an elite coach capable of taking this team forward. With Howe, Newcastle have no future. The club must act decisively and replace him with a manager who understands how to lead a team of this level.
The defensive structure Howe selects has been a problem for years. Newcastle’s defensive organisation is weak, unbalanced, and repeatedly exposed. The full-backs offer little impact, and in the last match, we witnessed a disastrous performance from Kieran Trippier. It is not wise to play Kieran Trippier in Priemer League in 2026.
Eddie Howe does not elevate this team. He chooses poor starting line-ups, makes repeated mistakes in attack, and fails to create cohesion.
Newcastle has one of the best teams in the Premier League. They need progress and good organisation on the pitch.
This team deserves upper positions in the Premier League.
Players such as Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Guimarães, and Woltemade could dominate matches in a properly structured system. With correct roles, spacing, and combinations, this squad has enough quality to impose itself on strong opponents.
This team has to play better, smarter, with synergy and with the same risks and knowledge. The manager has been overcome; he is not bringing a good aspect to the pitch, and a replacement is needed now. It is essential for the team to get a new manager who is good and who can improve the team.
Newcastle deserves better, and so do their supporters.
With a competent Premier League–level defensive support with players who are strong with the ball, Newcastle could have a chance to play offensive-oriented football with possession. Their players can create a lot on the pitch. Once again, they could reach positions that lead to the Champions League or better.
The moment Newcastle is eliminated from the Champions League, a collective collapse will follow—and the team will fall back to where it truly belongs under the current manager, Eddie Howe, who has nothing more to offer this club. The time has come for him to leave.
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