NEWCASTLE manager Eddie Howe has revealed for the first time that he always had an ambition to be England manager.
In a book due to be released next month, Howe spoke about his Three Lions dream in an interview given before Gareth Southgate left.
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Asked if he would like to manage England, Howe said: “Would that be something I would like to do at some point in my career? Yes!
“But I’m quite calm about it because I believe that what will be, will be. If it’s meant to happen to me, it will happen – if not, it won’t.
“I’m a big fan of Gareth, he’s done brilliant things for England.”
In the book, Happiness at 50 Years. . . On Sporting Frontline, Howe added: “As a kid I loved England.
“I loved pretending I was playing for England in the garden and I was Gary Lineker.
“I loved Gary Lineker – he was one of my idols. I know I didn’t score goals, but I tried and ended up being a defender.
“I was very passionate and still am passionate about my country and England doing well.”
Howe’s sentiments will delight FA bigwigs, who see the former Bournemouth manager as a leading candidate to replace Southgate.
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But Howe, 46, is adored by the Toon Army, is happy on Tyneside and has no immediate plans to leave the role that made him one of the bookies’ favorites to take England to the 2026 World Cup.
Newcastle came out strong and said they are determined to keep Howe at St James’ Park.
And as much as Howe would love to lead his country, he is a very loyal man who would think long and hard about abandoning Newcastle.
Howe saved the Magpies from relegation in his first season.
He followed that up by reaching the Carabao Cup final and qualified for the Champions League in his second after finishing fourth.
Southgate’s legacy in England should be celebrated, not destroyed
By Tom Barclay
Gareth Southgate has claimed that just winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the football world.
Spain proved a last-ditch comeback in Berlin, but the defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation had returned respect to the world of English football.
Critics will analyze his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in high-pressure games – with some legitimacy.
However, what is quickly forgotten is what a laughing stock our national team became before he took over in 2016.
A chaotic Euro exit to Iceland that summer was followed by Sam Allardyce abandoning just one game into his tenure thanks to his glass of wine with undercover reporters.
Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his discreet eloquence and his vision of a better and different future.
He looked at why England have failed so often in the past, from a lack of preparation in penalty shootouts to players becoming bored during major tournaments.
Southgate took these findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and this led to consecutive finals for the first time in our history.
Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, with shock, horror, that they were generally supported.
That hasn’t stopped him from being criticized when necessary – we’re not cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of the past – or today on social media – has largely disappeared.
No coach is perfect and neither is Southgate. We can’t pretend that his teams played like Pep Guardiola’s or Jurgen Klopp’s.
But as time passes, your achievements will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.
Let’s hope his successor can go one step further and bring football home.
To do this, they must show respect for what Southgate has created and build on it rather than tear it down.
To read more from Tom Barclay Click here.
Newcastle failed to reach Europe last season after suffering a series of injuries when their hands were tied in the transfer market due to Financial Fair Play limitations.
But with a new PSR window now open, Toon bosses have declared they are ready to support it.
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