We are a mess, and that's entirely down to lack of investment and a terrible managerial appointment in Steve Bruce.

That same defence you argue to be Championship at best, and not containing a single player who would get into another Premier League defence was the 7th best defence in the league under Rafa Benitez. At present, it's terrible, but that happens when players have no belief, structure or confidence instilled into them by the coach and his system.

Howe has a challenge on his hands, that's for sure - and there's much evidence to suggest defensive solidity is not his strength, however if he instills some belief into the side where they can go into games believing we can win games, not simply hoping we can draw; it may see us not just sit on the edge of our area and defend for 95 minutes without any actual defensive strategy as the previous manager had us do. This alone will improve take pressure off them and allow them to regain some confidence and form; and perhaps Newcastle can start playing football again. We've been the worst footballing side in the division for the previous two years, and it's been embarrassing at times for many Newcastle fans going into each game knowing there's one team trying to entertain and play the game, and then there's us.

The bbc are bigging him up loads. As i read somewhere, it has all the hallmarks of what happened with him & Celtic, frenzied speculation & then he decided it wasn't for him.

I also thought he was waiting for the Soton job OR Brighton if either incumbant were to leave. Why would a bloke who lives on the south coast want to move all the way upto the north east, is beyond me.

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.
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Like we have Steve Parrish who is actually going to run Newcastle?

Half the season will have gone before he'll be able to spend any money.

I believe his first signing will be the referee.

One more point

He will build his team based on defensive solidity... cough....splutter....really?

Sandcastle's only hope is that whilst on his sabbatical Howe has been taking 1 to 1 private lessons off Roy on how to set up a defence.