If you thought that this was the worst thing that could happen to Newcastle United…

A never ending ‘debate’ between Newcastle United fans.

Day after day, match after match.

This debate played out amongst Newcastle United fans on The Mag comments section and elsewhere.

Obviously plenty of people in the middle but there are a fair few at the extremes.

Those Newcastle United fans that are labelled ‘Happy Clappers’ or similar, for supposedly seeing only positives.

Then Newcastle United fans who are labelled ‘Mackems’ or similar, as they supposedly only see negatives.

Taking everything into account, what has happened so far this season, what has happened these past four years since Eddie Howe arrived, I am very much towards the ‘Happy Clapper’ end of things.

Others don’t see it that way.

Which is fine, it would all be a bit boring if we all thought the same, if we all agreed on everything.

However, for me, those who are ultra negative, have such a downer on Eddie Howe so often, I do think their thinking is fatally flawed.

This is what I base it on

Eddie Howe’s first full half season (second half of the 2021/22 season), Newcastle had the third best form in Premier League. Then finishes of fourth, seventh and fifth, whilst also getting two Champions League qualifications in three seasons, getting to two Wembley finals, also…winning a trophy.

This season, currently involved in a third Carabao Cup semi-final in four attempts, very close to going the furthest we have ever been in the Champions League and reaching the last 16 knockout stages, into the fourth round of the FA Cup and whilst eighth in the Premier League, only three points off fourth.

The problem I think for the (negative) extremists is this

I believe that a lot of the problems with those Newcastle United fans who are most extreme, negative pretty much all the time about Eddie Howe and indeed many of his players. I think these fans have lot touch with reality.

They have got so carried away by the success (thanks to Eddie Howe!), that they now see this as the very worst that can happen to Newcastle United.

That if Eddie Howe was replaced, at the very worst, Newcastle United would continue at current levels, what we have see these last four years.

The reality for me is that Eddie Howe has done an astonishing job, Newcastle United have punched well above their weight, season after season, in the Premier League and across the other competitions.

I think one of the most important pointers when it comes to expectations in football, is the wage bill. The clubs that can pay the most in wages can attract the better players, just like in any industry.

Newcastle United have the eighth largest wage bill in the Premier League and that has been at best, across these last four years. The ‘big six’ having a huge in-built advantage (as well as in many other areas) when it comes to the respective wage bills, Aston Villa’s also higher.

Never mind the achievements in Europe and the other competitions, whenever Newcastle United have Premier League form better than eighth, it is against the odds.

Newcastle United have had to also play catch up on pretty much every front after a decade and a half of Mike Ashley. Whether that is the academy set-up, investment in the playing squad, investment in the infrastructure and so on.

Eddie Howe also inherited a total additional mess thanks to Steve Bruce, a squad of disillusioned and demoralised players, who he even had to get properly fit first after the Bruce regime.

All of the ‘big six’ had and indeed have, such huge advantages over Newcastle United, especially when it comes to revenues, it is a minor miracle that Eddie Howe has had us not only competing with them BUT also regularly beating them and outperforming them in many cases across these recent seasons.

Last season you had Man U and Spurs on the final day battling it out not to finish fourth bottom. Spurs ended up taking that prize and Man U only dodging it due to fluking a final day win (thankfully!) over Villa.

Spurs are continuing that kind of form this season, whilst Man U have no Europe, went out of both domestic cup competitions, including against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup. They have yet again sacked their manager mid-season after spending fortunes in the summer, Spurs set to sack yet another manager mid-season themselves.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool…all of them spending huge money on wages and transfers, on top of the huge advantages they had on Newcastle United previously.

Newcastle United fans would learn the very hard way if Eddie Howe left.

He is an elite manager who took Bournemouth from the brink of non-league all the way through to the Premier League.

He is performing similar miracles with Newcastle United.

If it was a level playing field, just imagine what Eddie Howe could achieve…

If you think somebody replacing Eddie Howe would do better, good luck with that.