A Summer of Change awaits.

With the season ending and Newcastle United heading for no European football (Barring a Miracle) and the prospect of a bottom half finish one season on from a trophy win and Champions League qualification this coming summer could be the biggest since the takeover.

Speculation continues to mount of the future of Eddie Howe with fans becoming disillusioned with the backward trajectory this season and performances on the pitch.

For the players there is constant speculation surrounding some of our top players, not being helped by their agent and “Injuries” following or before certain games that has left this season ending with frustration amongst our fanbase and a call to board to act in someway to give us some sense of what to expect in the summer.

In the video above I wondered whether there was an indecisive streak running through Newcastle from top to bottom and as we go into this huge summer, which has the added complication for recruitment of the world cup we cannot afford to be indecisive with the big decisions as we risk dropping back in the project even further than we already have.

When PIF Took over Eddie’s job was to keep us in the Premier League in the first instance, a job which he completed masterfully.

Our second season we got to a cup final and qualified for the Champions League, which looking back in hindsight I wonder may have been too early.

Yes, qualifying for the Champions League in PIFs first full season in charge was incredible both on the pitch and for a quick burst of funds but that overachievement may have hampered the club from a development standpoint.

Had we been in the Europa, or Europa conference that season it would have maybe forced us to be a bit more creative with the number of transfers and types of transfers we made.

Being in a Europa competition could have created more situations were academy players were used in those games or forced to use a handful in cup games, which in turn could have unearthed a squad player or better which in turn would have assisted in allowing us to turn transfer attention to a first team player as opposed to extra numbers.

From a competition side of things, we had the group of death with PSG, Ac Milan and Dortmund which we still performed admirably but an extra long run in the Europa competitions would have helped our coefficient rating.

It was also Eddie Howe’s first season managing in a European competition and as we have seen this season in his second season managing in Europe managing the squad and scheduling has proven difficult.

Having that No Europe, Europe, No Europe, Europe *No Europe (It looks like) run doesn’t weigh into the belief and ambition that the fans and the owners have.

Would we be in a stronger position now with more gradual rise?

That of course is a hypothetical question.

What shouldn’t be hypothetical is what happens over the next few weeks and months.  

The first and most obvious is results and performance must improve! The season may be done in the eyes of many, but there are still 15 points to play for and points to prove.

For the board show some bottle and make a decision now (or soon) and come out front the fans and media and explain why you made that the decision. The fans will respect you for it whichever it is and whether people are Eddie in or Eddie out one thing about

Newcastle fans is on the pitch during the game no one can fault we get behind our players give them all that support.

If Eddie Howe has the backing of the hierarchy, then say it and say way and say what the plan is this summer. No club can predict everything, especially in a transfer window but at least outline what the basic summer goals are. Get the right people and backroom structure in place (No more Royal Rumble like Director of Football changes)

If Eddie Howe is going to leave at the end of the season, tell us now. Explain why it’s not happened earlier, give Eddie Howe that chance to get a send-off because despite the frustration of this season he has still given us a lot of joy supporting this club.

Then if that decision is made have the appointment lined up, announce the new manager before the world cup so they can get to work with the right structure behind them and have a pro active summer off the pitch.

Regardless of who is in charge take control of our playing squad.

Gordon, Tino, Tonali make those decisions early and identify their replacements early and get those deals done in principle. (Even if not official until after July 1^st)

Protect our best players who do want to stay, Offer Bruno a new deal, offer Lewis Hall a new deal because we cannot keep being in a situation where we lose our best players each year if we aspire to get to that elite level.

Players in their last year Willock, Pope, Burn Murphy, make decisions on them early and sell them early in the window if any of them are going.

The failed transfers from last summer, Wissa if he isn’t going to feature take a loss, Woltemade if he isn’t happy here or if there’s no managerial change see what offer comes in.

Goalkeeper situation, Trafford linked again!! Get that deal done this time, if he is the clear GK choice we want in, even if it is Lewis Hall style loan to buy if Man City are awkward to deal with just get it done!

Make good decisions on Academy players, do more work identifying the best loans or best course of action for their development and if their staying with the first team give them that proper chance in preseason.

Go into the summer firing on all cylinders so that when the players come back for pre-season without all the chaos, we had last season.

On and off the pitch remove that indecisive streak, show that elite level mentality with how we do business and give the manager and the squad that stronger platform to go into the season.