Whether it happens or not is in doubt, but it’s got to be a big risk involved in renewing some of the ageing players contracts.
Cahill, 35 getting older Dan, 34 recently that’s really old for this league, if you want week in week out performance.
Mc,Arthur, I like , but he will be 34 in October, it’s to old , and it’s shows. Sako, 31,. Hennessy, 34. Kouyate 31, but a keep. Benteke s getting on, over thirty.
Some of these might be worth a reduced contract. But if so , it must not block the possibility to bring in some younger talent.
As you say time will tell. But I really hope they bite the bullet on this one.

The problem is that these fellers are required to deal with absolutely top of the game athletes . Pace alone is incredible in the game, the athleticism has been getting more and more pronounced over the years..
It’s just a fact of life, athletically we diminish from late twenties onward, and that doesn’t take account of old injury. It always has been so. I would have thought as things have got more physically demanding through the always increasing pace of the game, so it is harder for older players to do the job.

Positional sense and anticipation , help a great deal in particular for defenders.
My worry for Gary, is every year takes its toll. Scot looks jaded, to me it doesn’t get better for old legs
Jagielka, was brilliant a while ago for Sheffield U .when they beat Man U. I think it must have worn him out, as he don’t get out very often. But there is often a performance left .

So, sorry to get this thread back on track, IS Eddie Howe still favourite, or is going to across the border?

I'm a blind man, i'm a blind man, now my room is cold,
When a blind man cries, Lord, he feels it from his soul.
[Link]

Anyone wondered why he has been out of work for so long?

I read somewhere that the relegation at Bournemouth had really hit him hard and that he needed a total break from football to process things and recharge.

I think we might be missing a trick if we focus too much on the fact that he took them down without considering
a. The circumstances at the club (injuries and disruption caused by Fraser)
b. It was a close run thing (went down to the wire on the final day)
c. what he achieved at such a small club and the plaudits he gained along the way for the way they played their football.

He seems to be a real student of the game and very analytical so it is reasonable to expect after a period of reflection he will have learned a lot from that experience. Let’s face it keeping them up for as long as he did was no mean feat.
Personally I’d prefer Dyche - but after watching the sh*te we’ve been playing under Roy I honestly wouldn’t be disappointed with Howe. As a longer term appointment he could enable some future planning/investment in the squad - and he has a pretty good track record at identifying promising young players.
But where he has most appeal for me is the style of play - coupled with an eye for potential and excellent coaching abilities (actually developing players and adding value).

I think the likes of Eze would thrive under him - we certainly wouldn’t see Him camped on the edge of our our own bloody box for 85 minutes!
2 years ago when his stock was sky high and he was being linked with Everton I’d have thought him beyond our reach but now the timing might be right.