Magpies first trophy in 70 years
The last time Newcastle won a major trophy, ‘Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White’ was number one, the average house price in Great Britain was just €2,291, the Beatles were still unknown to the world, and VAR was still over 60 years away from ‘helping’ football. The 1955 FA Cup final saw the Magpies beat Manchester City 3-1 at the Old Wembley stadium. It’s been a tough 70 years since for the Geordie faithful, but finally this Sunday ghosts were exorcised at the new Wembley, as Eddie Howe’s team shocked Liverpool to win the EFL Cup.
Goals from boyhood Newcastle fan Dan Burn and superstar striker Alexander Isak were enough to better a late goal from Federico Chiesa for the Reds, as it finished 2-1 to Newcastle on a brisk day in the capital. In lifting the trophy, not only did Howe end a lifetime of pain and frustration for Newcastle fans, but also became the first English manager to lift a major trophy on British shores for almost two decades. So why have English bosses fared so badly in the modern game and can Howe be the manager to turn that tide?
Eddie Howe becomes 1st English manager to win major trophy in 17 years
As illustrated in the graphic above, before Newcastle’s victory at Wembley on Sunday, the last English manager to win a major domestic trophy was Harry Redknapp all the way back in the 2007/08 season with Portsmouth. The last English boss to win the EFL Cup was Steve McClaren in 2003/04 with Middlesbrough, and the last English manager to lift the league title was Howard Wilkinson in the 1991/92 season in the pre-Premier League era. So why have English managers struggled so much in recent decades?
It certainly cannot be put down to not having the quality of players to go on to succeed at the top of management. England had their ‘Golden generation’ of players in the 2000s, but the majority of the top stars who have tried their hands in management to date from that side have failed to impress. Steven Gerrard was sacked at Aston Villa, and Wayne Rooney has just been relieved of his duties at Plymouth in the Championship. Frank Lampard was sacked at Chelsea and Everton, and although he is enjoying a great start during his time with Championship side Coventry, he hasn’t been able to cut it at the top level just yet. Paul Scholes, Sol Campbell and Gary Neville have also tried their hand, but with little success, and have since focused on punditry and other work.
So why hasn’t it worked out for any of that aforementioned group? Perhaps the option of getting into punditry or media work has offered an easier route to work after playing, and the motivation to get back on the training pitch as a manager has been waned by that. It should also be considered that the Premier League is the most watched division in the world. Players, fans, and managers alike from all four corners of the world flock to the English top-flight in pursuit of success. This therefore makes for more competition, and English managers have failed to keep up. However, Howe is bucking that trend.
He has done a magnificent job since arriving at St James’ Park in 2021. He dragged the Magpies from the relegation zone to the Champions League. When he succeeded Steve Bruce, the club were 19th in the Premier League. In his first full season, Howe finished fourth and brought Champions League football back to St James’ Park for the first time in two decades. Howe also steered Newcastle to the EFL Cup final in that 2022/23 season, but they fell short in the final, beaten by Manchester United. Nevertheless, Howe’s side laid those demons to rest on Sunday as they outshone league leaders Liverpool and were worthy winners of the trophy. Howe has had a knack of outwitting his opponents in the big games.
This season, this Newcastle side have beaten Arsenal three times, third-placed Nottingham Forest three times, Chelsea twice, and now Liverpool. In these big matches Howe has really demonstrated that he can mix it with the elite when it comes to tactical nouse. In the Premier League, Newcastle are currently sixth and will be hoping their EFL Cup triumph can push them on to get a top-five finish and subsequently Champions League football once again. In an era dominated by foreign managers, Howe is flying the flag for English bosses, and could potentially be an inspiration to the next generation of domestic coaches. For the English game, let’s hope it’s not another 17 years before an Englishman wins a domestic trophy again.
