Report: FA did not interview Eddie Howe for England's job
Today at 05:00 AM
Turns out The Three Lions never came calling.
Despite Eddie Howe being widely regarded as one of the best English managers in the Premier League, the Football Association (FA) never reached out to the Newcastle United gaffer during their search for a new England manager.
According to The Sun, the FA interviewed 10 different candidates but ultimately chose Thomas Tuchel due to several factors. Regarding Howe, the decision not to entertain talks with him or Newcastle came down to financial considerations involving his potential release from Newcastle.
The Sun reports that the FA knew Newcastle would demand a large compensation package to release Howe, which likely played a role in their decision not to approach him.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham acknowledged that the pool of top-quality English coaches is limited, that it should improve and increase in the future if they want to get a real shot at managing The Three Lions, and that even though Howe has put on quite a resume at Newcastle he was never part of the FA's selection process.
"We ran a really clear process," Bullingham said. "We spoke to approximately ten [candidates] throughout the process. Clearly, some were more up for the role than others."
Bullingham further revealed that the FA was "absolutely delighted" to end up with Tuchel.
"We believe he gives us the best chance of winning the World Cup," Bullingham said.
The decision to focus on foreign managers, including Tuchel, was in part due to financial challenges, but mostly because the FA doesn't value national managers on the same level as foreigners, which is kinda baffling to admit so openly and publicly.
Bullingham said that the FA's priority was finding a manager who could give England's players the best possible chance of success—another subtle blow to those with an English passport.
"As we set out our process, our priority was to find someone that can give our players the best possible chance to win," Bullingham said. "We have found that, and we have got Thomas—and we are delighted."
Had the FA pursued Howe, substantial negotiations would have been required, making his departure financially complex for the association to endure on a purely economic basis.
Instead, they focused on international candidates, ultimately selecting Tuchel and paying him—let's be honest—more than Howe would have ever commanded. Alas.
The FA's loss, Newcastle's gain.
