After being awarded the Premier League’s Manager of the Month award for February, there could be further accolades on the horizon for Eddie Howe. The transformation he has masterminded at Newcastle United is arguably the story of the season following the terrible start to the campaign under Steve Bruce.
Upon receiving the award on Friday, Howe was his usual humble self as he placed plenty of praise on the backroom staff that he works with day-in, day-out. If he is able to steer the Magpies into the top half of the Premier League, it will be seen by many as the achievement of the year.
Former Sunderland and Tottenham striker Darren Bent claimed that, should he do just that, he will have to be in the conversation for the Manager of the Season award. I think he’d be up for Manager of the Year,” he told TalkSPORT. If Newcastle finish in the top 10, how could he not be? I wouldn’t give it to him because obviously whoever wins the Premier League ultimately wins it.”
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The last seven winners of the award have all been the managers whose team have lifted the title at the end of the season. Tony Pulis was the last non-title winner to be given the award after guiding Crystal Palace out of the relegation zone and into 11 th place back in the 2013/14 campaign.
Howe looks set to pull off an equally impressive feat, albeit with the help of significant January investment. However, he has also been able to massively improve some of the players he inherited, one of the reasons Bent is full of praise for the 44-year-old.
“What you have to say about Newcastle and Eddie Howe, look at some of the players that were there before he got there and what he’s done,” said Bent. "Look at Joelinton, what turn around that is, the rise of form is incredible. Jonjo Shelvey, all of a sudden, has got that form again. It is a real belief, he’s done a fantastic job, he’s got to be in the conversation [for Manager of the Season].”
Individual accolades won’t have been at the top of Howe’s agenda when he replaced Bruce on Tyneside. Although, it is certainly nice for his, and his coaching staff’s, achievements to be recognised and supporters will be just as happy to see him getting the exposure he deserves. A manager of the season award might be out of his grasp because of the astonishing level that Manchester City and Liverpool continue to set but, if Newcastle’s form continues, he will certainly be in the conversation.
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