Eddie Howe says he has an “unwavering” commitment to Newcastle as long as he is backed by the club – as he continues to be linked with the England men’s team manager job.
It was revealed this week that Howe was on the FA’s shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate, who resigned following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.
Talk to Sky Sports News Speaking from adidas’ Newcastle training base in Germany, Howe responded to England speculation by saying he was solely focused on his current job.
However, amid a summer of change at Newcastle with the departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth to Manchester United, as well as the departures of board members Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, Howe said the club’s new structure “has to work for everyone”.
“It’s a strange situation for me because I don’t care about it at all anymore,” he said. “Luckily I’m here (in Germany). So it’s only through mobile phones or someone telling me something that I hear about it.
“My commitment to Newcastle is unwavering and has been since I joined the football club. As long as I have certain things going for me – like being happy, being allowed to work the way I want to do my best and feeling supported – then that will never change.”
Howe (right) has been heavily linked with the England manager’s job
Howe said he hoped the new set-up, which includes Paul Mitchell as the new sporting director, would work – but said boundaries must be set.
The Newcastle manager has also been affected by the loss of his close ally Staveley, who sold his stake in the club last week.
“There have been so many changes that we need a period of time to know how we are all going to work and set the boundaries,” he said when asked if he felt supported at Newcastle. “It’s for the good of Newcastle, not for me, because the club is the most important thing in all of this.”
“England is not important at all. It’s all about Newcastle United Football Club. I’m very proud to be the manager. I’ve loved every second of managing the club since I’ve been here, I’m passionate about bringing long-term success here.”
“I feel like I have a very special relationship with (the Newcastle fans). I can’t thank them enough for the way they’ve welcomed me into the football club, for the way they’ve supported me and the football club through the good times and the bad. I’m fiercely determined to win a trophy for them, hopefully we can achieve our goals together.”
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Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie explains why the England manager’s job could be too early a move for Newcastle boss Howe
Asked if he was flattered to be associated with the England squad, Howe said: “I’m patriotic, I love my country. I want England to win and do well and my feeling this summer was that I hoped Gareth could win the Euros.
“We had two players (Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon) involved in that project. I spoke to them regularly and thought about them and Gareth. I hoped they would make it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that and feeling that way.
“Any time you get linked with another job, I’ve had it before in my career, it’s always positive because it means you’re doing well with the club you’re working for. But my only priority and my only thought has always been Newcastle United.
“Nothing will ever change my mind. I’ve always worked like that. I have a very narrow vision of things, I have been all summer and I will continue to be.”
FA reveals England job requirements in job advert
Gareth Southgate resigns as England manager after losing Euro 2024 final to Spain
The FA has officially announced the vacant England men’s manager position on its website as the search for Gareth Southgate’s successor continues.
English football’s governing body said it had “already identified a number of candidates” after Southgate announced his resignation from the role on July 16.
The first bullet point in the job description states the need to “win a major tournament”. The England men’s team have not won a major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
It is also stated that the successful candidate “will have significant experience of English football, with a strong track record of results in the Premier League and/or top-tier international competitions.”
Other requirements for the role include “experience in successfully identifying, managing and developing English-skilled players” and “high resilience and comfortable in a very senior role with intense public scrutiny”.
The FA has set a deadline of August 2nd England’s next match is against the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League on September 7.
Click this link to read the full job description for England Men’s Team Manager
Who else could be England manager?
Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief executive, told reporters ahead of Euro 2024 that the organisation had a comprehensive succession plan in place in case the men’s or women’s team manager decided to leave or needed to be replaced. But he declined to say who was being considered.
An English coach is understood to be the FA’s preference, but the appointment of a foreign manager has not been ruled out, with the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino also on the list of candidates.
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Former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter has played down rumours linking him with the England job but admits he is keen to make a return to management.
Another name in the mix is current England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley – with the FA keen to include managers who have come through the ranks at St George’s Park Howe in their recruitment process. And Graham Potter also have admirers among the FA’s senior management.
Another name in the mix is current England U21 manager Lee Carsley – with the FA keen to include managers who have come through the ranks at St George’s Park in their recruitment process.
England’s next matches (all Nations League)
- September 7: against the Republic of Ireland (a)
- September 10: against Finland (home)
- October 10: against Greece (h)
- October 13: against Finland (a)
- November 14: against Greece (a)
- November 17: against the Republic of Ireland (h)
Neville: Next manager should be English
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Sky Sports’ Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher explain why the FA should appoint an English successor to Gareth Southgate
Gary Neville, Sky Sports pundit:
“(The next manager) will have to win a trophy to surpass what Gareth has achieved.
“Over the years we’ve had all types of managers: the trendy managers, the international managers, the best English managers, people who came through the youth teams.
“There’s no science to what works and there are obvious contenders. Graham Potter and Eddie Howe will be mentioned and I think it will definitely be an English manager.
“Moving to St George’s Park was about promoting and developing English coaches. To take that away from an English manager and give it to an international manager would be a mistake.
“We can’t rule out Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, sensational managers like that, but if we don’t develop our own managers…
“England coaches still have a long way to go to catch up with the other big nations and we have to work hard and put them in the biggest environments and the toughest games.
“Give them a chance.”
