NEWCASTLE boss Eddie Howe has revealed for the first time he has always held an ambition to be England manager.
In a book due out next month, Howe spoke about his Three Lions dream in an interview given before Gareth Southgate quit.
Asked if he would like to manage England, Howe said: “Would that be something I would like to do at some stage of my career? Yes!
“But I’m quite laid-back about it because I’m a believer that what will be, will be. If it’s meant to happen for me it will — if not, it won’t.
“I’m a huge fan of Gareth’s, he’s done brilliant things for England.”
In the book, Cheers to 50 Years . . . On the Sporting Frontline, Howe added: “As a kid I loved England.
“I loved pretending to be 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 about my country and England doing well.”
Howe’s feelings will delight the FA bigwigs who see the former Bournemouth head coach as a leading candidate to replace Southgate.
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But Howe, 46, is worshipped by the Toon Army, is happy on Tyneside and has no immediate plans to leave the role that made him one of the bookies’ favourites to lead England into the 2026 World Cup.
Newcastle have come out strongly 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 walking out on 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.
By Tom Barclay
Gareth Southgate claimed that only winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the footballing world.
Spain proved a last-gasp comeback too far in Berlin, but defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation put respect back into the world of England football.
Critics will pick apart his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in the most high-pressurised games – with some legitimacy.
Yet what is quickly forgotten is the laughing stock our national side had become before he took over in 2016.
A shambolic Euros exit to Iceland that summer had been followed up by Sam Allardyce quitting just one game into his tenure thanks to his pint of wine with undercover reporters.
Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his understated eloquence and his vision for a better, different future.
He had analysed why England had so often failed in the past, from lack of preparation at penalty shoot-outs to players being bored out of their minds during major tournaments.
Southgate took those findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and it led to back-to-back finals for the first time in our history.
Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, shock, horror, that it was met, generally, with support.
It did not stop him from being criticised when required – we are no cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of yesteryear – or today on social media – was largely gone.
No manager is perfect and neither was Southgate. We cannot pretend his teams played like those of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.
But in the fullness of time, his feats will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.
Hopefully his successor can go one step further and bring football home.
To do that, they must show respect to what Southgate has created and build on it, rather than rip it down.
To read more from Tom Barclay click HERE.
Newcastle failed to reach Europe last campaign after suffering a serious number of injuries when his hands were tied in the transfer market because of Financial Fair Play limitations.
But with a new PSR window now opened, Toon chiefs have declared that they are ready to back him.
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