Eddie Howe and Newcastle both need to keep the faith - changing now would be an error

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At one point, Eddie Howe, according to the bookmakers, was amongst the favourites to succeed Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth. As Marco Rose, the former RB Leipzig boss, emerges as the clear frontrunner - and preferred candidate - the odds against Howe returning to Bournemouth have drifted.

But those odds should have been preposterously long in the first place. Bournemouth is a great club, wonderfully run, smashing fanbase, and very supportive of their managers.

But there would be NO personal positives for Howe in taking up his old job, other than going back to live on the balmy south coast. Which is why it should have been a non-starter from the outset of speculation about who would succeed Iraola.

Perhaps some people thought Howe might want a way out of Newcastle United after reading the briefing from his chief executive David Hopkinson, which, basically, implied Howe’s position would be under review this summer. But now is the time for Howe to tough it out at St James’ Park.

Other than Bournemouth, there would probably be more options for Howe if he decided all parties would be best suited by his departure. But success at Newcastle United should be the least of Howe’s ambitions.

He is a manager whose career trajectory, at the age of 48, should still be an upward one. Howe should tough it out with Newcastle.

And Newcastle should tough it out with Howe. If that is the right phrase.

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As soon as it was announced the Spaniard would be leaving Bournemouth at the end of the season, it was always going to be a stronger fancy for Iraola to replace Howe rather than for Howe to succeed Iraola. But in his four and a half years at Newcastle, Howe has shown himself to be an elite manager.

This is a club that has gone from the lower reaches of the Premier League to have TWO Champions League campaigns and lift a first domestic trophy in 70 years. Howe has been the inspiration for that.

He has been the driving force, he has brilliantly managed a club that is notoriously difficult to manage. And don’t forget, he has had to navigate this season without the services of a striker who had become a talisman for the team.

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Just as he was powerless to stop Alexander Isak going to Liverpool, so it may well be the case that he is powerless to stop another big-name exit this summer. Sandro Tonali or Anthony Gordon, perhaps.

But with skilful recruitment, this could still be a Newcastle squad that can challenge at the top end of the table. Their overall form in this season’s Champions League has proven that.

And Howe remains the ideal man for the job. Next up, Bournemouth come to St James’ Park. And for the same fixture next season, it would be a mistake all round if the two managers had swapped dugouts.

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