The greatest Eddie Howe triumph of all | OneFootball

What do you think has been the greatest Eddie Howe success story since he arrived at Newcastle United?

To put it more clearly, which player would you choose as the NUFC Head Coach’s greatest triumph?

Eddie Howe has been here 38 months now.

Plenty of players getting on the pitch, both inherited and those signed by Howe.

Which is the stand out Newcastle United player for yourself and why? Interested in your thoughts in the comments below.

First of all though, I want to talk to you about the player I would put forward.

Remember, I am not necessarily just talking about who is the best Newcastle United player, that would be easy, we’d all shout Alexander Isak in a split second!

Which Newcastle United player is Eddie Howe’s greatest triumph taking everything into consideration?

I would say… Dan Burn.

I really liked the piece on The Mag on New Year’s Day by Phil Stephens, a Wigan Athletic fan who’d contacted The Mag to talk about Big Dan Burn.

In his article (read HERE), it included this from Phil;

‘Dan Burn spent two and a half seasons (2016/17, 2017/18 and the first half of 2018/19) at Wigan, playing for us in the Championship and League One. He was a top bloke and excellent player for us, when turning out for Wigan in the second and third tiers. Looking from afar, it has been great to see him forming such a solid partnership with Fabian Schar in central defence. Eddie Howe has helped him now become an excellent player in the top tier. About time the media gave Dan Burn the proper recognition that he deserves. On what I have seen, he is worthy of an England call up.’

I have no doubt that last comment would have had many people rolling about laughing, especially any neutrals reading it, but also no doubt plenty of Newcastle United fans. Dan Burn play for England? You’re having a laugh!!!

The question though is, why? Why should it be a ridiculous thing, the thought of Dan Burn playing for England?

I think this mindset would be due to two, possibly three, main reasons.

Firstly, the fact that Dan Burn spent most of his career playing below the Premier League, before joining Newcastle United.

Secondly, he is no Fabian Schar on the ball, but then who is???

Thirdly, a lack of pace.

Taking those in turn…

Below Premier League level – After having been released by Newcastle United as a kid, Dan Burn ended up playing fifth tier (non-league, fourth tier, third tier, second tier and only 74 starts in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe was then ridiculed when paying £13m to sign Dan Burn at the end of January 2022, a few months before BDB would turn 30. It was hilarious (to the media), the ‘richest club in the world’ buying Dan Burn, not Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

The reality of course is that Newcastle United had been heading for what looked certain relegation, having won only two of their opening 21 PL matches. Dan Burn arrived and went into the heart of defence, the final 17 PL games (Dan Burn started 16 of the 17) of the season Newcastle won 11 of the 17. United had the third best form of all Premier League clubs in the second half of that 2021/22 season, only Liverpool and Man City picking up more points.

People will see… but it was the signings of the likes of Trippier and Bruno that saved Newcastle United that season and were mainly responsible for the stunning turn around in form. Not true. They both did well in the matches they did play BUT fact is that Trippier got a bad injury after just a few games, whilst Eddie Howe delayed Bruno’s first start for over six weeks, in March 2022, whilst his first St James’ Park start was in April 2022. The three signings that were key to that instant turn around were loan left-back Matt Targett who was unwanted at Villa, Chris Wood who Eddie Howe was ridiculed for signing but helped United to 29 points in his 15 PL starts that season where he played a very unselfish role, plus… Dan Burn.

I think fair to say that pretty much everybody, Newcastle United fans included, thought that was it. Well done Dan Burn, a great job done, now you will be an NUFC squad player, especially with a £35m outlay on exciting young central defender Sven Botman, who had already played Champions League football and won Ligue 1 at a tender age.

Instead, something extraordinary happened.

Eddie Howe created a new look defence of Nick Pope coming in as keeper, then Trippier, Schar, Botman and Dan Burn… at left-back. More laughs from Newcastle United’s and Burn’s detractors. The thought of United hoping to do well, whilst having a  30 year old left-back standing at over 6ft 6 who has played the vast majority of his career in the lower leagues!

Dan Burn played in all 38 PL matches that season, starting 35 of them. Newcastle United had the best defence, conceding just 33 goals (only Man City matched that) in the 2022/23 season, amazed everybody as they deservedly finished top four and got into the Champions League, as well as playing in a first NUFC cup final in 24 years.

Eddie Howe rates Dan Burn and has done a remarkable job in helping the Geordie giant to fulfil his potential, in his 30s!!!

Dan Burn has now started over a hundred Premier League matches for Newcastle United AND has when he plays at Tottenham on Saturday, Dan Burn will have made as many PL starts (88) in his thirties, as he did before turning 30.

With Sven Botman out, Dan Burn moved back into the middle of the defence and has played every minute of every PL match this season, apart from when he was suspended for West Ham at home, when NUFC picked up their most disappointing result of the season…

In his 18 PL starts, Dan Burn and Newcastle have conceded just 19 goals and in the last four PL games have kept clean sheets. In the 19 PL games in total, Newcastle have conceded just 21 goals, with just the top three in the table conceding less. Indeed, add in the cup matches and Eddie Howe’s side have conceded only 23 goals in 23 matches.

It is almost as though Eddie Howe knows what he is doing…

What Eddie Howe does know, is that Newcastle United and Dan Burn are  made for each other. In these past three years, only five times has Dan Burn been named on the bench for a Premier League game.

Ability on the ball – As I commented earlier, Dan Burn hasn’t got Schar’s (or Botman’s) levels on the ball. However, what I would say, is that Burn has improved significantly on this front, thanks again to Eddie Howe’s work. It will never be one of his main strengths but I think Burn’s passing out from the back has been much better this season and I can’t say I am concerned now when the ball is played to him. At one time I think it was a weakness to an extent and other teams did look to pressure him a lot, but I don’t see that as the case nearly as much now.

Plus, isn’t defending kind of the important thing, with a… defender! You know, helping to stop goals going in.

Fair enough, the likes of Arsenal’s central defenders and Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool, are very good all round players AND defenders, but when you look around, who exactly is better at this defending lark than Dan Burn these days?

Would you swap BDB for Man U’s Martinez??? How about Man City’s central defenders? Now that they have started to be put under a bit of pressure and actually asked to defend, they have looked a right mess. As a Newcastle United fan, would you be honestly wanting to swap any Man City defender for Dan Burn, to play the rest of this season…?

Lack of pace – I think this is something else that is massively over the top when it comes to Burn’s detractors. I think it is because Dan Burn is taller than pretty much every other central defender, then the perception is that pace is a ‘bigger’ issue for Burn than others. I think it is a bit of a red herring really. Dan Burn isn’t quick but his positioning is generally excellent and the reality is, central defenders aren’t quick, except in very rare cases. You want them to have height (who mentioned Martinez?!!!), so you know, the can compete for the countless balls in the air every single match. With that height it is almost certain they won’t be that quick, if they are tall, talented and quick, like an Isak, then they would be playing in attacking positions as stellar players, not as defenders!

The reality is, if a ball is played behind any central defender and the attacking player gets first run, then only very very rarely can the defender catch the attacker. Look at when Bruno played that brilliant pass to set Isak away one on one at Old Trafford, the vertically challenged Martinez was never catching him!

Eddie Howe is brilliant AND he has helped Dan Burn develop into a brilliant defender and become a massive part of our team and success.