Former Newcastle defender John Anderson believes additions to the club's coaching staff, as well as the playing squad, could help the Magpies kick on next season.
Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle: "Players become stale doing the same things week in, week out.
"Sir Alex Ferguson was very set in his ways and old-school, but he knew the game was moving forward, so every couple of years he would bring someone in with fresh ideas to keep players evolving.
"I think he [manager Eddie Howe] needs to bring somebody in with newer ideas and that's nothing against his training regime – just players like something different.
"You look at Eddie Howe's backroom staff and they've all been with him for an awful lot of years. They were all with him at Bournemouth.
"I just think sometimes you need a fresh pair of eyes as well. They all see things in a similar fashion. A fresh pair of eyes might see things a little differently.
"Freshening up not just the playing side of it, but the coaching side of it as well, may well help."
Click above to hear the discussion with Anderson and the Guardian's Louise Taylor, or listen on BBC Sounds
