After a 1-1 draw with Barcelona a week and a half ago, there was hope that this season could end in an unforgettable way for Newcastle United.
However, last week was a very rotten one for the Magpies who initially lost 7-2 against Barca in the second leg before Eddie Howe committed the biggest sin of all: losing to Sunderland.
The Mackems did a double against Newcastle and it was Brian Brobbey who was there in the car to ensure that the athletes ran without a win against their rivals which now reached 11 games.
It begs the question: Is Howe the right man for the job? It has been a difficult week for the former Bournemouth boss and there is a feeling that he may have taken this club as far as he could.
Who can replace Eddie Howe at Newcastle?
Howe has been on the hot seat at St James' Park since November 2021, and to his credit, has done an impressive job in the dugout.
The Englishman helped the Toon lift their first trophy for almost 56 years, established them as a regular Champions League side and oversaw a period of major change with new owners coming in.
However, after nearly five years, it feels like time may be right for Howe. Not many teams will beat Barcelona this season but the way they played in Spain was unacceptable. The manner in which they lost to Sunderland was also unacceptable, especially since they went ahead early in the game. Anthony Gordon's opening goal should have been a moment of celebration and kick-off. They did not.
As a result, other methods could be sought. At the end of the current season, Oliver Glasner will leave Crystal Palace after winning the title at Selhurst Park. Andoni Iraola's contract at Bournemouth will also expire and in recent months he has been linked with Newcastle.
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Although both have enjoyed success at their respective clubs, Iraola in a very different way than Glasner, do you see that the St James' project could be attractive to a top manager, perhaps Unai Emery?
The Spaniard was PIF's first choice when they first moved to the city and went to the former Arsenal boss, who at the time was in charge of Villarreal.
Newcastle eventually turned to Howe, while Emery ended up at Aston Villa. So, with the Villans currently in a run of bad form themselves, can the Magpies come calling again? There is a feeling that he may have achieved all he could in the Midlands, like Howe on Tyneside.
Why Unai Emery would be such a good hire for Newcastle
Under similar circumstances, barred by PSR, the 54-year-old has worked wonders at Aston Villa. When he replaced Steven Gerrard at Villa Park, they looked like a team heading back to the Championship sooner rather than later.
However, the Spaniard improved them tenfold and although they may not have won the trophy, they have been one of the most consistent teams in the Premier League in recent years.
Newcastle finished 11th, fourth, seventh and fifth under Howe. Now, they are sitting in twelfth place. Villa, however, finished seventh, fourth, sixth and are now fourth in the table again. Continuing to qualify for Europe with a young club, Emery looked “one of, if not, the best manager in the Premier League”, in the words of defender Pau Torres.
It's hard to disagree with that statement, actually, especially when you remember his past accomplishments. While he was eventually sacked by Arsenal after a poor performance in north London, he is truly alive at a club that dominates European football or wins silverware.
In Europe, he is a genius. He took Arsenal to their first European final since 2006 when they reached the Europa League final. Emery appeared to know the competition well, winning the competition three years in a row with Sevilla before taking it again with Villarreal in 2020/21.
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Unai Emery won |
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Europa League x4 |
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League 1 x1 |
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Coupe de France x2 |
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Coupe de la Ligue x2 |
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La Liga manager of the month x3 |
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PL moon boss x3 |
Unlike Howe, the Spaniard has a history of consistently winning trophies and his recruitment is smart too. Newcastle have struggled in the market and the decision to invest in Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade as their vacancies for Alexander Isak speaks volumes.
Villa, on the other hand, have been very active under Emery. Last January, they managed to secure European football by bringing in proven players like Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
Newcastle could not only do with his pragmatism in the market and talent ID, but they could do with his cup-winning ability and consistency. When it comes to managers in Europe's top five leagues over the past decade, you can't think of many who have been more consistent than Emery.
