The recent struggles at Newcastle United have led many to point fingers at the dugout, but club legend Alan Shearer believes the root of the problem lies much deeper than the tactical decisions of Eddie Howe.
According to the Magpies’ greatest-ever goalscorer, the club is currently suffering from the aftershocks of a chaotic summer characterized by a total collapse of the executive structure. The departure of sporting director Paul Mitchell, followed by the health-related exit of CEO Darren Eales, left a power vacuum at the exact moment the club needed stability to navigate a seismic transfer window and a challenging Champions League campaign.
To understand the current inconsistency on the pitch, one must first look at the “bigger picture” of what transpired during the off-season. Typically, a sporting director serves as the bridge between the boardroom and the pitch, handling the intricacies of player trading, contract negotiations, and long-term scouting.
When Mitchell walked away just days after the previous season ended, Eddie Howe was left to shoulder a massive administrative burden that usually falls to specialized executives. This was not a normal summer; it was a period where the club had to manage the fallout of Alexander Isak going on strike to force a move to Liverpool, while simultaneously trying to spend £250 million on reinforcements.
Shearer argues that the lack of a formal structure led to a breakdown in what had previously been an elite recruitment process. In previous years, Newcastle’s business was the envy of the league. The acquisitions of players like Bruno Guimarães, Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, and Tino Livramento were masterclasses in identifying talent that could immediately elevate the team’s ceiling.
These players were expensive, but they were undeniably successful. However, the most recent summer window conducted without a sporting director or a chief executive has told a very different story. Much of the money spent in that window has yet to yield results, leaving the squad looking thin and unbalanced despite the massive financial outlay.
The situation with Isak serves as a perfect example of the club’s administrative disarray. When a star player pushes for a record-breaking exit, the sporting director is usually the person who manages the fallout, finds a suitable replacement, and protects the manager from the media storm.
Shearer asks a pointed question: who was managing that crisis? Without an executive team in place, there was no one to ask the tough questions about contingency plans. If Isak left, who was the backup? If he stayed, how would his morale be managed? By leaving these responsibilities to the manager, the club inadvertently distracted Howe from his primary job of winning football matches.
Because Howe has set such exceptionally high standards taking the club into the Champions League and deep into domestic cup competitions the current dip in form feels even more dramatic.
Shearer acknowledges that results have not been up to par and that criticism is a natural part of the job when you fail to meet expectations after spending significant money. However, he insists that it is unfair to judge the manager in a vacuum.
A manager can only be as successful as the structure supporting him. If the recruitment fails and the boardroom is empty, the man on the touchline is often fighting a losing battle before the whistle even blows.
The “turmoil” Shearer describes is reflected in the team’s current position in the Premier League. For a club with Champions League ambitions, sitting outside the top European spots while looking disjointed on the field is a cause for major concern.
But the problem isn’t just about the XI players on the grass; it is about the “scouting and recruitment workflow” that seems to have stalled. When a club spends a fortune and doesn’t improve, it usually points to a failure in talent identification and strategic planning areas that fall squarely under the remit of a sporting director.
Looking ahead, the lesson for the Newcastle hierarchy is clear. Success in the modern Premier League requires more than just a wealthy owner and a talented coach. It requires a robust, professional structure where every role is filled by experts who can navigate the complexities of the transfer market and player psychology.
Until the club replaces the leadership lost last summer and restores a sense of order to their recruitment, the inconsistency on the pitch is likely to continue. Shearer’s defense of Howe is a reminder that while the manager picks the team, the club must provide the tools necessary for that team to succeed.
The fallout from Paul Mitchell’s exit remains the defining theme of Newcastle’s season. It was a “bombshell” that detonated at the worst possible time, and the club is still sifting through the wreckage.
For the fans, the hope is that the lessons of this turbulent year are learned quickly, ensuring that the next transfer window is managed with the precision and professionalism that was so clearly lacking during the last one.
