"I think he's the perfect stop-gap, in terms of you can't go out and sign the big players, people are getting carried away [but] they're in a relegation battle, and I think he'd be perfect for that."
Before Eddie Howe had even taken the Newcastle United job, many were lining up to say he'd be the ideal fit for the Magpies - in the short-term. Darren Bent, as seen above, was one of many pundits who believed the former Bournemouth boss wouldn't be able to take the north east outfit to the next level in the long run.
Brought in to save the team from relegation before passing the gauntlet to a more experienced, big-name coach. That was the assumption by many supporters, rivals and those in the media. Yet Howe's stint so far has been much more than keeping the ship afloat.
