Reporter Keith Downie believes Fabian Schar would have thought his Newcastle United career was over before the arrival of Eddie Howe at St James’ Park.
Indeed, the Switzerland international was mainly a bystander under former boss Steve Bruce, featuring in just two of the eight Premier League games the 61-year-old oversaw before he was relieved of his duties in October. Graeme Jones, who took over on an interim basis, also left Schar on the bench for his three games in charge.
Should Schar stay at the club?
Yes
No
All of that has changed under Howe, however. The £6.3m-valued 30-year-old has been named in the starting XI by the ex-Bournemouth manager on all but one occasion in the league, and Schar was even given the captain’s armband for the Magpies’ 1-0 defeat against Everton.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Downie revealed he thinks the former Basel central defender will have expected to be on the way out of the club before being entrusted by Howe.
He said: “He was the one for me who looked like he was probably out of the picture the most and was set to leave, he probably thought that himself.
“But some of these players will want to be part of the future and want to be part of something good.”
TIF Thoughts on Schar’s situation…
Whatever Bruce and Jones thought was best for the team, their plans clearly didn’t work. The Toon didn’t keep a clean sheet in the top flight until the 15th matchday of the campaign, a 1-0 win over Burnley in which Schar played the full 90 minutes.
For that clash, Schar was joined at the heart of the back four by Jamaal Lascelles, although, in the absence of the 28-year-old due to injury, new signing Dan Burn has stepped into the breach.
As such, Schar has been the one constant, and he has contributed to a stunning turnaround in Newcastle’s fortunes. The north-east outfit looked destined for the drop before the new year, but an unbeaten eight-game run has moved them nine points clear of the relegation zone. Schar has pedigree – he is a 69-time international and won the Swiss championship three times before his switch to England – and Howe has given him the opportunity to show off his talents.
Of course, the summer window will propose more challenges to Schar’s starting spot as Newcastle’s owners prepare to wield their spending power. A departure in the foreseeable future may not be off the table, but he has at least shown his worth when called upon.