Manager of the Month Howe named Barclays Manager of the Month Newcastle manager picks up February award after an unbeaten month to move out of bottom three https://www.premierleague.com/news/2522110
While all the players deserve a pat on the back, none of this would be possible without Eddie ****ing Howe (and his back room staff). He's came in, made a world of difference since day dot, despite not even being at his first game in charge (3-3 vs Brentford), even while taking on the DoF role during the winter market and bringing in 5 players to compliment and massively improve the squad. You can hear it in the players interviews etc. they love playing for him and the change in every facet of our game... if I didn't watch it every week with my own eye's, I wouldn't believe it - unbearable to think it took Bruce 2.5 years to not change anything and make that team worse than what he took over. Eddies bought the best out of 4/5/6 of our regular starters - Schar, Shelvey, Joelinton, Willock, Fraser and even players like Murphy and Krafth look like they can play football now, maybe not at the levels required but previously I'd have switched them for some Sunday League players but not anymore! From being dead and buried in 20th with no chance of staying up we are now 8 points clear of the bottom 3 and looking towards a better finish than Rafa or Bruce managed! All of it is down to one man!
Bit co-incidental that we're playing Chelsea away next game ... I'd say it's a free hit, but we might have a pretty good day down there. Hope Joelinton's back.
Tough game but they have 2nd leg CL and QF in the FA cup 3 and 7 days later so they might rest some players perhaps? Granted they have a 2-0 lead in the CL and the smoggies in the cup but we can hope right?
Hopefully they do rest players otherwise our unbeaten run grinds to a halt. Mind you I said this about Brighton and Southampton
Yeah I think Chelsea should rest their entire first team. They are finishing 3rd regardless. The CL and FA Cup are realistic targets for them. Do the right thing Thomas.
They may be playing their reserves today as the first team have probably had to set off this weekend to get to Lille, due to their limited away travel budget.
Whilst I agree with all of this bar the last sentence. Partially anyways. I gave the new board/owners a bit of stick for taking a lot of time over things but man was I wrong. They got most things spot on. Everyone connected to the club, including the fans have played their part. It’s the most unified I have seen the club in my lifetime. Howe has directed most of it and he deserves the MOTM award but his team do too. These players are jumping through fire for him and although some players will never have the quality they are giving 110% and that’s all we can really ask right now.