- Gareth Southgate’s near-eight-year reign as England manager has ended
- Eddie Howe is expected to be among the frontrunners to succeed Southgate
- Mail Sport reported Howe would have ‘a decision to make’ if he is approachedĀ
Newcastle United chiefs have vowed that they will fight to keep Eddie Howe, if England want him as their next manager.
The Magpies boss is among the frontrunners to replace Gareth Southgate and, as Mail Sport reported on Monday, a formal approach from the Football Association would leave him with āa decision to makeā, despite him being settled and very happy on Tyneside.
Chief executive Darren Eales has revealed that Howe signed a new contract last summer – we understand it was an āamendmentā to his existing, long-term deal – and that compensation would have to be paid, although there was no āset figureā. He says he has not spoken to the 46-year-old about England and expects him to be in charge at the start of the season.
Asked if the club would āfight to keepā Howe in the event of an approach, Eales said: āYes, absolutely. To take a club that was in 19th to 11th at the end of the first season and then into a Champions League spot the following season, it is phenomenal.
āIāve had the blessing to work with Eddie and see day to day that man-management – on the grass, he is very hands on. Heās a great developer of players. He gets the psyche of the club and Newcastle and the fans. Weāve seen that with the way the team and the supporters have that affinity.
Newcastle have vowed to fight to keep Eddie Howe should England make an approach
Howe is viewed among the frontrunners to become England boss after Gareth Southgate’s exit
Chief executiveĀ Darren Eales stressed the club are committed to Howe, who is on a long-term deal
āFor us, he is exactly the right man for the project we are on and that is why we are committed to a long-term deal with him. Thatās why we think heās the right man for Newcastle. This is the coach we want to lead the club for the future. He’s committed to the club in the work that he’s done and what he’s shown, and we’re obviously committed to him. We love him.ā
Were the club covered in terms of compensation in the new contract?
āItās a multi-year deal and in those circumstances, like any employee from us, there will have to be compensation paid,ā he said. āWeāre not looking to release Eddie for all the reasons Iāve spoken about.
āEverything weāre doing ā Paul (Mitchell) coming in (sporting director), James (Bunce), the performance director – in terms of how we talk about strengthening the squad, dealing with PSR, making sure with a lot of dialogue from Eddie weāre retaining that core squad that we need to go forwards and kick on ā thatās what weāre looking to do and weāre hoping with Eddie weāve got a coach for the long-term who can lead us onto great things.ā
Eales said Howe understands theĀ psyche of the club and Newcastle and the fans
Eales says there is a āsuccession planā, like at all top clubs, but that it has not been given any recent consideration.
āItās one of those, you never want to use it,ā he said. ā(It is) something that when youāre organised youāve got to be thinking about, but for us at the moment, weāre focused on pre-season and a big season ahead.
āHow do we take that negative of being really unlucky and finishing seventh and not making Europe, and turning it into a positive? We have a chance this season to really attack competitions because we donāt have that distraction.ā