'Very smart move' – Former Newcastle United striker backs Eddie Howe to succeed on Tyneside

That’s the verdict of former Magpies striker Michael Owen as the former Bournemouth boss prepares to take charge at St James’s Park a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Howe guided the Cherries from the bottom of League Two to the riches of the Premier League, and has been out of work since August last year.

Owen tweeted: “If Eddie Howe is confirmed as @NUFC manager, I’d say that’s a very smart move by the club.

"I’ve had the privilege of working with him over the last year or two on The @premierleague world feed and he’s extremely knowledgeable.

"He also strikes me as a very good man manager.”

Howe’s relegation with the south coast club during his final season means some Toon supporters have reservations, which is shared by former England international Danny Mills.

“He didn’t do great for Bournemouth by the end, it didn’t quite work out,” Mills told Football Insider.

“It’s going to be tough, it’s difficult. They played nice football at Bournemouth but is he the man to get them to mid-table playing decent football? Probably.

“Is he the man to help them survive? Phwoar, I don’t know. I’m not 100 per cent sure convinced by that.

“That will be an interesting one to see how it works out. Is Eddie Howe the right man for survival? I’ll take some convincing.

“They [Bournemouth] went down because they didn’t have a solid defence. His last job was relegation. Are you going to put the job of staying up on someone who’s just been relegated?”

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