The Brexit analogy is perfect!

Listened to Alex’s latest state of the nation monologue in which he explains how actually Eddie has been largely rubbish all along. That guy has spent hours repeating his anti Howe material but still has nothing substantial to say about the managerial upgrade he clearly thinks will be easily made

I’m not oblivious to current issues and failings but, fuck me, Howe ticks many boxes which never even get a mention. It’s a v complex proposition succeeding here and any situation can quickly become a media circus lapped up in the nationals. A critical moment though and something has to give

I’m very much of the opinion that we should be careful what we wish for. In 50+ years of following the club we’ve had maybe 4 really good managers and never had 2 in a row. Elite coaches are attracted to exciting, dynamic projects, at famous clubs in big metropolitan cities.

If we just had a conventional centre forward to be on the end of them

Interesting that many talk about how the team hasn’t been ‘what it was’ for quite a while and attribute this to tactics being ‘found out’. I wonder if it might have been more to do with the huge buzz kill when players realised they hadn’t joined Man City mkII. Guessing that was c. when Mandy left

Discovering it’s possible to be angry and sad all at once.

THRU BLACK & WHITE EYES - Breaking Bad - 21/April/26. Going from bad to worse and more heavy heart than anger from this Gallowgate End correspondent.

Another defeat and performances that suggest players no longer want to play for Newcastle United- some musings on a club unravelling - thanks for reading -

tf1892.substack.com/p/thru-black...

I can see the club can’t afford to let things drag along with these wretched performances, but I still hope the problems - whatever they may be - can be fixed.

Thank god it’s not just me! On the one hand I can see a team that isn’t working at all, a manager who seems unable to make a difference and a humiliating end to an awful league campaign. On the other, I believe very deeply that Eddie has brought the best balance of skills to the club we’ve ever had.

I am looking for a some kind of positive response from the players.

I always feel like we won’t get another point when we lose2 or 3. This is where experience can help.

The production sound reminds me soooo much of something else from that era.

Scala 3 - Peppermint Ballett [Germany - Post Punk, NDW] (1982) Opulent, dubby and funk-fuelled german Post-punk instrumental.

Scala 3 - Peppermint Ballett [Germany - Post Punk, NDW] (1982) Opulent, dubby and funk-fuelled german Post-punk instrumental.
https://redd.it/rkjzhz
https://youtu.be/WLZ-HjXstEA

When I see him vogueing on the touchline, I am always reminded of Keegan losing his shit during the fateful run-in. Hardly a beacon of calm when the players need a steady hand on the tiller.

Yes! Bring back the fake brick wall!

I’d quite like Iraola tbh - if we are going to be a trading club we will need someone with his adaptive qualities to manage the churn of players while remaining competitive.

Imagine Iraola and Lee Ryder trying to comprehend what the other one was saying

I wish I shared your optimism. Too many games left to carry on the way we are right now, I’d agree. It would be better all round if Eddie just announced he would be stepping down at the season end. Leave with dignity and thanks rather than booing and abuse.

Fair point - up to a point. Although Eddie has served up some of the most exciting football I’ve ever seen us play. Not recently though. I’m just having difficulty imagining the future in a positive way. I’d love to be excited by the next guy. Who’s your ideal candidate?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be intrigued and excited by whoever it is. But just not too confident about it. Go on, who would you like?

Howe will end up leaving. It seems inevitable now. I wonder what will be left of the veneer of ambition at nufc after all our best talent leaves and we’ve got our safe pair of hands/has-been in the dugout serving up dull possession footy played by lads who’ve no intention of being there next season

Do you think the exec will prioritise such esoteric considerations though? Or will they be swayed by personal contacts, a big enough name or anyone with something vaguely good on their cv? I find it hard to imagine an imaginative choice over a has-been/‘safe pair of hands’

Tice failed to pay £100,000 tax on profits of firms linked to Reform — story via The Sunday Times

Richard tax-cheat Tice.
And remember when Farage’s partner bought his Clacton house somehow, so he could avoid paying taxes on it?

That is all Reform UK Party Ltd exists for: money.

And then, as if by magic…

I understand the workings of the corporate world. Spent a career in it. But the 2030 stuff was always going to set hares running with our fanbase given the concerns over non delivery of so many things trumpeted post takeover. I’m also deeply appreciative of Eddie and am very reluctant to see him go.

I get what the intention was with the 2030 line but that needed to stay in house: we now have a fanbase with unrealistic ideas about our future, imagining an elite manager is being lined up and baying for Howe to go.Wilson might prove to be better than ‘meh’ but the next window will tell.

CEO’s 2030 nonsense: utter misjudgement of the fanbase. Statement has been v confusing and divisive. Accidentally setting a bin fire under Howe when (I believe) he wanted him to stay. DoF seems a bit of a lightweight recruited due to good relationship with the manager who seems about to leave.

I haven’t got much confidence in our Exec team to get things right but do I think they can afford to let this slide continue for another 5 games without being seen to take action? No.

Pod on the Tyne has audio of Tripps in the mixing zone post match, insisting that none of it is Howe’s fault and it’s all down to the players, but it feels like just a different version of Eddie’s sackcloth and ashes. Solutions are needed at this point not apologies.