Pundit Tim Sherwood believes that something has happened at Newcastle United recently that Eddie Howe should be worried about.
Newcastle haven’t exactly been at their best this season with injuries and suspensions really impacting their results, but it’s not just the performances on the pitch that are a concern.
Speaking after the game against Chelsea on Astro SuperSport, Sherwood claimed that losing Dan Ashworth was a ‘big blow’ for Newcastle and Howe this season.
Sherwood thinks Newcastle and Howe needed Ashworth
Ashworth announced last month that he would be leaving for Man United, though Newcastle had ensured they were well protected with his contracted and demanded £20m from their Premier League rivals.
Regardless of how much they may get in compensation, Sherwood has been really impressed with Ashworth’s previous work and believes he will be a big miss in the North East.
Newcastle’s owners were obviously big fans of the 52-year-old having identified him to lead the club over two years ago now and had been hoping that he would stick around for the long-term to see the club develop into a European giant.
However, they have now not only lost one of the best in the business when it comes to sporting directors, but they’ve lost him to a direct rival who could now use that information he knows against them.
On Ashworth leaving, Sherwood said: “Dan Ashworth is a worry for me, leaving Newcastle. Because I think he was a football man, a cool head, who would calm everyone down in the background – perhaps the owners who have limited knowledge of football and just want the big prize straight away. It doesn’t go like that.
“So, Dan is a big blow for him to leave, hopefully they get someone else in who is a football man who makes sporting decisions and if they make the correct one the correct one is to keep Eddie Howe.”
Newcastle searching for a replacement for Ashworth
There have been a number of names linked with the job in recent weeks with Newcastle hoping to find a new long-term candidate to replace Ashworth.
There are some who are already believed to have taken up new roles with both Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes expected to move to Liverpool in the summer once Jurgen Klopp leaves as manager.
Other names are also understood to be targets like Paul Mitchell who has previously worked in England with Tottenham and Southampton as well as Tiago Pinto formerly of Roma who shared that he’d be interested in taking the job at Newcastle.
For Howe, it must be someone who he knows he can work well with and develop a good relationship which will be absolutely crucial to any success Newcastle are hoping to enjoy.
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