One year ago, change was afoot at Newcastle United. Eddie Howe replaced Steve Bruce as manager with the Magpies languishing in 19th in the Premier League, five points from safety.
A new era had already begun at St James’ Park with Mike Ashley relinquishing control to the Saudi-Arabian backed consortium in October 2021, but for this revolution to work it needed stability and it needed Newcastle to maintain their top-flight status.
The owners had to appoint a coach who knew the division and could turn results around. They knocked on the door of former AFC Bournemouth boss Howe, who had been out of the game for a year, and no one could have foreseen just how much of an impact he would have in the North East.
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His first game in charge was a six-goal thriller as points were shared with Brentford, but he was absent due to testing positive for Covid-19. It took a few weeks to get his first win, a 1-0 triumph over Burnley at home in early December but that was followed by four straight defeats and two draws. Howe required backing in the January transfer market and he duly was.
Matt Targett, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Bruno Guimaraes all signed up to the dazzling project and suddenly things started to fall into place. Much has been said about how those first recruits helped the 44-year-old transform things on the pitch, but he never turned his back on the talented individuals already in his ranks who he has helped reach new heights.
The first person to evolve as a result of his coaching was the forward Joelinton. The Brazilian had previously failed to live up to his £40 million price tag but Howe converted the physical attacker into a combative midfielder and his rebirth has been extraordinary.
Swiss defender Fabian Schar was next. Before Howe arrived he was used sparingly by Bruce and he looked destined to leave the club. He is now one of Howe’s most reliable generals on the pitch and he has been one of the best defenders in the league this season.
The player everyone is talking about at the minute is Miguel Almiron. Alongside Joelinton, the Paraguayan is arguably Howe’s greatest coaching masterpiece. Almiron struggled to have a devastating impact on defences in his first three years with the Magpies, but now is a man-possessed and one of the most lethal attackers in the division with eight goals in the Premier League this term.
Ridiculed by Jack Grealish, the 28-year-old has outclassed the gobby Manchester City winger this term and his performances of late have embodied the wonders that Howe has worked over the last 12 months.
Howe has invested time in all of his squad members to improve their game and lift the club from the shadows which they lingered in for far too long. The fans can see just how much things have changed under his stewardship and they are loving the ride that he is taking them on.
The former Cherries manager has overseen 41 league games with Newcastle winning 20, drawing 11 and losing 10. We have seen significant improvements in 2022-23 in their style of play and levels of consistency. Howe has been the grand architect of this development and his designs are still not finished.
The Magpies sit third in the Premier League after 14 games this season and their football has fully merited such a rapid rise up the standings. They look more than strong enough to maintain a place in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has even labelled them as title challengers, the greatest of compliments to Howe’s first year in the job.
The atmosphere he has helped create at St James’ Park is electric and it is now arguably the toughest place to go as a visiting team in the country. That buzz is reverberating around the city.
Once the club was taken over in 2021, you knew it wouldn’t take long for Newcastle to become part of the Premier League elite, but with Howe’s methods delivering consistent results, this journey that they are on might reach its destination sooner than anyone could have imagined.
As the old Lindisfarme song described the ‘Fog on the Tyne’, it is safe to say that the thick smog that shrouded Newcastle United over the years has certainly lifted thanks to Howe. He is the beating heart of the club right now and the fans could not envisage any other coach in charge after accomplishing what he has in his exceptional first year at the helm.
