Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan reckons that Eddie Howe will be sacked unless Newcastle United qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League .
Howe has been in charge at St James’ Park since November 2021. He was appointed soon after the club was taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The Magpies finished 11th in Howe’s first season under Howe, having been strong relegation contenders prior to his arrival.
In his first full campaign on Tyneside, Howe then guided Newcastle to fourth place, which saw them qualify for the 2023-24 edition of the UEFA Champions League.
However, they failed to progress beyond the group stage and only finished seventh in the Premier League, meaning they missed out on another ticket to Europe.
Simon Jordan believes that Eddie Howe could be fired if the team’s results are not up to expectations
The former Crystal Palace owner highlights the significance of the demands and expectations presented by the Magpies’ board
Newcastle did not qualify for the Champions League after finishing seventh in the Premier League during the 2023-24 season
Speaking on Three Up Front, William Hill’s new podcast featuring Simon Jordan, Troy Deeney and Graeme Souness, in which they cover all sides of the game of football, Jordan said: ‘If Newcastle were to have another season like their last, Eddie Howe will not be there at the start of next year.
‘They desperately need to bounce back this season. The expectations have been raised of the players and the manager.
‘Last year was very disappointing.’
Moreover, Howe faces high demands after welcoming back Sandro Tonali, who was previously banned, and the arrival of five new players to the squad.
The Magpies spent £57million in order to secure the deals for Lewis Hall, Odysseas Vlachodimos and William Osula, alongside Lloyd Kelly and John Ruddy, who joined the team as free agents.
There were only a few departures from the club this summer transfer window, including Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton.
However, Jordan emphasises the importance of Newcastle prioritising a return to the most prominent European tournament: ‘For a club that has that financial might behind it with very ambitious owners, they will expect Champions League football again.’
Newcastle have had a hectic summer transfer window, signing five players including Lewis Hall, Odysseas Vlachodimos, William Osula, Lloyd Kelly, and John Ruddy
However, Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle ‘have not had the window we wanted’ after failing to sign Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guehi
On Friday, the Newcastle head coach admitted the Magpies ‘have not had the window we wanted’ after missing out on their top target, Marc Guehi, following difficulties in negotiations with Crystal Palace.
Speaking at the press conference, the 46-year-old manager stated: ‘It is a challenging period, no doubt about that. We haven’t had the window that we wanted to have, there is no denying that. I’m not going to sit here and say it’s been a brilliant transfer window for us.’
‘But my job is to continue to give my best for the players we have here.’