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Rio Ferdinand predicts Spanish manager will replace Eddie Howe

2 years ago
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Rio Ferdinand has been talking about the situation at Newcastle United.

An astonishing second half of the season seeing Newcastle United pick up more points (38 at an average of 2.00 per match) in the final 19 matches than every other Premier League club, apart from Man City and Liverpool.

The new owners and Eddie Howe inheriting an absolute shambles from Rio’s mate Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce, yet turning a situation of certain relegation into one where they had top three form in the second half of the season, which saw them end up 14 points clear of the drop zone.

Rio Ferdinand saying about the transformation at St James Park, ‘Eddie Howe deserves the credit. He was the perfect guy. In terms of he is no trouble, he is no airs and graces, he is very calm and very measured in his approach…he has now stabilised them and I think they will go on again.’

However, at the same time, Rio Ferdinand sees it as inevitable that it is only a matter of time before Eddie Howe is moved out and replaced, with his prediction being Unai Emery to take his place.

All very patronising isn’t it?

I think Eddie Howe ‘stabilising’ Newcastle United would have been if NUFC had ended up with mid-table form in the second half of the season and scraped survival by a few points.

However, the reality was far beyond that, Eddie Howe surprising everybody with how well he did, improving pretty much every existing player, rebuilding and rejuvenating the defence in the middle of a season after Steve Bruce had reduced it to a total mess, then having a brilliant January 2022 transfer window. All five signings proving successful. Yes, even Chris Wood, United left with no Premier League centre-forward when Wilson got injured and with clubs naturally very reluctant to let goalscorers leave mid-season, the brave decision taken by Eddie Howe and the owners to meet Wood’s £25m release clause. Chris Wood has done a great team job for Newcastle United with his unselfish contribution and in 15 PL starts for the Kiwi, NUFC won ten of those Premier League games at an average of 2.00 points per match.

Unai Emery has shown his quality once again this season, after turning down the Newcastle United job he led massive underdogs Villarreal to the Champions League semi-finals. At the same time giving a massive thumbs up for the new NUFC owners in terms of identifying who they wanted, both Emery and Howe showing their ability these past six months or so.

Completely disrespectful though of Rio Ferdinand to write off the possibility of Eddie Howe proving to be the long-term answer for Newcastle United.

Howe is still only 44 and in his managerial career has already saved Bournemouth from dropping into non-league football, then in the years that followed got the south coast club promoted through every decision.

Now at last at a club that could potentially compete at the very top in the years ahead, Eddie Howe adding to his CV with this stunning six months at St James Park.

As I said earlier, having signed and expertly looked after a real superstar in Bruno Guimaraes, plus potentially transforming Joelinton into another superstar (feels like a new signing…), Eddie Howe must surely be backed 100% until he proves that he isn’t the man for Newcastle United.

Newcastle fans are absolutely behind Eddie Howe and the owners also appear to share that vision. Here’s to the years ahead…

Rio Ferdinand talking on his FIVE YouTube show – 23 May 2022:

“Eddie Howe deserves the credit.

“He was the perfect guy.

“In terms of he is no trouble, he is no airs and graces, he is very calm and very measured in his approach.

“And they needed that because you can get carried away when you have all of this money flying in the club and all the hysteria that flows about at that time.

“People can come in and get carried away a bit.

“Very calm, he was very calm.

“This could have blown up in their faces, the investors, but he has now stabilised them and I think they will go on again.”

Co-presenter:

“I think he will get moved on eventually but I reckon he hasn’t done himself any harm.”

Rio Ferdinand:

“He’ll get moved on and he’ll have a lot of clubs waiting.”

Co-presenter:

“Who is the next manager then (at Newcastle)? Who do they bring in? I can see them going for (Carlo) Ancelotti.”

Rio Ferdinand:

“No, I reckon they go and get (Unai) Emery.”

Interesting to look back to when the new Newcastle United owners came in and who Rio Ferdinand recommended to go for as the first two signings…

Rio Ferdinand talking on his FIVE YouTube show – 11 October 2021:

“I would be going to try and make like a mad couple of signings, like huge, that I think would be gettable.

“I would be looking at people like Raheem Sterling, he is not playing regularly and I’d go ask him the question.

“I’d go and ask Declan Rice, ‘What’s going on?’

“Them two would be the first two on my list and I’d go all out to go and get them. 

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