Eddie Howe Confirms He Was Not Contacted By FA for England Job
Eddie Howe has confirmed he was not approached by the Football Association (FA) during their search for a new England manager. The Newcastle United boss had been considered one of the top English candidates for the role, especially after guiding Newcastle to a fourth-place Premier League finish and securing Champions League qualification last season.
However, Howe made it clear he wasn’t interviewed for the job, saying, "I was not. There was no contact from the FA."
Despite his name being linked with the position, Howe has remained focused on his work at Newcastle.
"For me, it's about Newcastle and trying to win games. It’s hard enough to do that if you are 100% focused," he said. He emphasised that dropping his focus on his club would make his job "impossible" and expressed no frustration over not being contacted by the FA.
Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel was announced as the new head coach of the England national team earlier this week after Gareth Southgate stepped down following England’s Euro 2024 final defeat.
Howe, while congratulating Tuchel, admitted he would have preferred an English manager for the national team role, but added, "If you are going to go foreign, then go for the best, and Thomas is certainly that."
Howe also reflected on his positive experience shadowing Tuchel during his time at Chelsea.
"I had two days with him and thought he was fascinating. What a brilliant guy. What a great person. What a great coach," he shared.
Despite not being in the running for the England job, Howe expressed his hope that Tuchel would bring success to the national team, stating, "I think he's a great appointment, and I hope he leads England to many trophies."
FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham mentioned that the FA had interviewed around 10 candidates, including several English ones, but Howe was not among them. Bullingham pointed out that while England has a strong pool of young coaching talent, they’re not currently producing a large number of candidates winning trophies at club or international levels.
The appointment of Tuchel, the third non-English manager in the team’s history, has reignited debates over the opportunities for homegrown coaches.
Howe’s exclusion from the process was seen as surprising by many, including former England striker Alan Shearer, who said, "To know he has not even been sounded out is very surprising."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also addressed the situation, stating that it doesn’t matter where a coach is from as long as they are the best candidate for the job.
"We don't decide where we're born. Mum and dad decide that, and nine months later, we're here!" Guardiola said, showing support for Tuchel's appointment.
Ultimately, while there’s pride in having a high-profile international coach interested in leading the team, questions remain about the pathway for English managers to reach the national team level. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the international interest in the England job as a point of pride.
