Coach Eddie Howe's decision to leave Newcastle did not come suddenly. Right after the defeat to Fulham in the last round of last season, the English coach asked himself if he was still the right person to lead the team.
2 days later, Howe and Newcastle's board of directors held a meeting and reached a consensus that he would continue his work. In front of the media, the 48-year-old captain also affirmed his full commitment to the club's project.
However, summer vacation changed Howe's thinking. After looking back at nearly 5 years of attachment to Newcastle, he realized he had taken the team as far as possible and needed a change.
In addition, Newcastle also experienced a volatile summer when they sold Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon for a total value of about 170 million pounds, while captain Bruno Guimaraes expressed his desire to join Arsenal. Although the "Magpies" quickly invested in young players, Howe understands that the upcoming season will be extremely difficult.
However, personnel fluctuations are not the main reason for the departure decision. According to many sources, what makes Howe feel most difficult to continue is fatigue after many years of working at high intensity.
The British strategist was hospitalized for pneumonia in April last year and has almost no real time to rest to recover. After the summer vacation, he still cannot dispel the feeling that his cycle at St James' Park has ended.
Newcastle's board of directors repeatedly persuaded Howe to reconsider, but he remained in his position. The club then accepted this decision and asked him to continue working until a suitable successor was found.
For more than two weeks, Newcastle silently prepared for the transition process, while Howe still led the team in pre-season friendly matches. Therefore, his departure from the position of head coach was not surprising to the leaders of the club.
The farewell announcement was made after the defeat to Bristol City, when Howe directly announced his decision to his associates.
The person Newcastle chose to replace is Matthias Jaissle. The German strategist is highly appreciated for his energetic football style and pressing intensity similar to Howe, and is expected to take over the team before the Premier League opening match against Liverpool.
Despite ending his term in a regretful context, Eddie Howe still left a deep mark in Newcastle's history. He helped the team end the 70-year title drought, twice brought the "Magpies" to the Champions League, built a team full of identity and reconnected the team with fans. For many Newcastle fans, Howe will always be one of the greatest coaches St James' Park has ever witnessed.
