In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 150 appearances for Newcastle United, has backed Karl Darlow to depart Tyneside after getting the taste for first-team football.
Darlow stepped in for the injured Martin Dubravka this season making 26 appearances and keeping four clean sheets. However, before the draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Darlow was dropped by Steve Bruce who opted to start the Slovakia international.
Should Darlow leave Newcastle?
Yes, he needs a fresh start!
No, he has a point to prove!
Howey recalls Steve Harper, who made 194 appearances for Newcastle over 20 years, spent most of his career on the bench but admits that may not be what Darlow wants to do.
Speaking on the situation that Darlow finds him in and what could be the next move for the shot-stopper as he searches regular first-team football, Howey told FFC exclusively:
“For me personally, I would leave because I don’t think he could have done any more.
“That’s the problem with goalkeepers you’ve got to have two very good keepers, but it’s keeping them happy.
“I think Steve Harper, apart from the last little bit of his career, was second string all the time. Which is fine, but as a professional, personally I wanted to play all the time.
“Darlow’s had a taste of first-team football and done very well. He’ll be thinking, I don’t want to sit on the bench again, I want to play.”
The 30-year old has a 66.7% save percentage in the Premier League this season and has grabbed the attention of a lot of people with pundits and fans even backing him for an England call-up last year.
Newcastle have Freddie Woodman returning from Swansea City in the summer which means Bruce and the hierarchy have a decision to make on who will be the club’s long term number one.
Darlow is surely unlikely to be short of suitors if he was to leave the Magpies after his performances in a struggling Newcastle side.