EDDIE NOT READY
Howe rejects England talk and Pardew backs Southgate
BOURNEMOUTH boss Eddie Howe says he is not interested in being England manager just yet, despite describing it as the ‘ultimate job’.
And Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew — another contender for the role — called yesterday for interim manager Gareth Southgate to be given the role permanently rather than just for four games.
Howe is highly regarded at the FA and was linked with England before Sam Allardyce’s appointment in July. He said: ‘ It sounds quite arrogant but I am not interested in the job now, although who knows what happens in the future?
‘The FA haven’t come to me. I’m committed to Bournemouth and I’ve got a lot more work to do. The England job is the ultimate job but I’ve signed players very recently, pledged a few things to them and I can’t turn my back on this club.’
Howe, 38, guided Bournemouth from League One to the Premier League and feels he can build on that success. ‘ My aims are to progress in the Premier League and improve on last season,’ he said.
‘England is not a distraction. I haven’t given it any thought.’
Allardyce was sacked this week after a newspaper investigation into football corruption. Howe said: ‘When somebody loses their job for non-football reasons, it’s a shame. It’s been a difficult week for English football. The team will suffer.’
The FA could have limited the impact of Allardyce’s departure by doing more to prepare prospective England managers for the position, Pardew said yesterday. ‘I have a little criticism from the summer when the job came up,’ he said. ‘Myself, Eddie Howe, any English manager as far as I’m aware, have never been invited to England as a guest and we should be. We should under- stand what goes on at press conferences and behind the scenes, otherwise how are we going to get experience? Eddie is at Bournemouth and I’m at Crystal Palace. We are not at top clubs.
‘International experience is very difficult ( to get). I’ve got into Europe twice and you could easily put against my name that I lack international experience, but how am I going to get it? That is something the FA should look at.’
Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick emerged as a surprise contender last night but his appointment remains highly unlikely.
Pardew, 55, maintained he would not be interested in the England job so long as Under 21 manager Southgate holds the baton.
Speaking before Palace’s match at Everton tonight, Pardew said: ‘In his playing career, Gareth had an intelligence to grow. He wasn’t that good, really. I can say that because I’m a friend. His intelligence made him an England player and he’ll bring that to the managerial role.
‘There are not many England internationals who have done all the badges on the coaching side.
‘He has a bit of X-factor. It’s not that he’s too nice. He has a little streak — it doesn’t come out often, but you play tennis against him!’