The obvious Eddie Howe successor that makes perfect sense for Newcastle United amid England links

Eddie Howe has a colossal decision to make should, as various reports suggest, England approach the Newcastle United manager. He is, after all, the best this nation has to offer.

So does he die a hero or live long enough to become the villain? Howe’s stock at Newcastle remains high. Ironically, that is what happened to Gareth Southgate to an extent after England fans grew sick of reaching finals - an alien feeling before 2016 to anyone born within the last 60 years.

With PIF yielding more influence following Amanda Staveley’s boardroom exit, one bad run of form next season could spell bad news for Howe. Injuries, FFP/PSR restrictions and added Champions League pressures gave the Toon boss a bye last season.

No European football this time allowed would strip him of the same exemption. Couple that with a guaranteed four-year plan as England manager and the allure of international football grows.

Should Howe leave, who comes in? A raft of candidates would emerge given Newcastle’s lofty ambitions.

The answer, given the recent reshuffle at St James’ Park, appears obvious. Paul Mitchell arrived on Tyneside as Dan Ashworth’s replacement a fortnight ago with a stellar CV.

The sporting director held positions at MK Dons, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, RB Leipzig and Monaco. In his early years rising through the English ranks, unearthing a certain Mauricio Pochettino proved one of his most shrewd moves.

Football enthusiasts may have remembered the Argentine from his modest playing career at Espanyol but, to the common household, an English-bereft Pochettino was a relative unknown. But his appointment sparked a five-year love affair between the sporting director and manager at Saints and Spurs.

The likes of Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic, Toby Alderweireld, Heung-Min Son and Kieran Trippier highlighted a canny eye for recruitment. A bust-up with Daniel Levy triggered his Tottenham exit - much to Pochettino’s disappointment.

The bulk of Mitchell’s signings bore a Champions League final three years later but his exit marked the beginning of the end for the Pochettino-Tottenham marriage. When asked about trying to persuade Mitchell to stay, the former Spurs boss said: “It’s obvious that happened.  We carry on working. He’s with us, he’s in the office. 

“I feel very disappointed with his decision. It’s his personal choice. We have a relationship from Southampton and I feel very disappointed. But when a person makes a personal decision, what can I do? He’s still working with us.”

Unfinished business remains. After Pochettino’s arrival at Chelsea last year, Mitchell was a shoo-in to follow suit - but the 42-year-old resisted before leaving Monaco months later.

He is now bedding into life at Newcastle and any future managerial appointment will have his fingerprints on them. Mitchell has already appointed one familiar face, James Bunce, to improve the sports science department.

The rumoured strain between Ashworth and Howe was considered a reason behind his short-lived reign. But if the hot seat becomes vacant, Mitchell could appoint his own man and work in unison from scratch.

Pochettino also provides a win for FFP/PSR given his brutal recent sacking at Chelsea. As it stands, Howe holds ultimate faith within the St James’ Park boardroom. But football is a fast-changing game and, should push come to shove, a certain reunion makes perfect sense.