Euro 2024: Eddie Howe tipped to switch Newcastle United for England by ex-Liverpool ace

Former Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey believes Eddie Howe is the man to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager if he leaves his position at the end of the tournament. Howe is reportedly seen as a leading candidate to become new Three Lions manager with Southgate’s position set to be reviewed following Euro 2024.

Speaking to OLBG, Heskey revealed his belief that Howe is the best choice for England, but admitted that international management may not suit the Newcastle United man: “First and foremost, I think for Gareth, I think he's done a fantastic job bringing the squad together. 

“We all talk about when I was playing, when I was in the England squad about the togetherness, the camaraderie, it was kind of fractured. It doesn't look like it is since he's joined. 

“He's been lucky because he was actually with a lot of them with the Under-21’s. So we kind of knew their characters and how to build them together. Then taking us to a semi-final and a final, which is fantastic, he brought the nation together. It hasn't been together for a very, very long time in the way that we see it now. 

“So you've got to take your hat off to him for that. And he's done a fantastic job. There will always be critics. There will always be people saying, shoulda, coulda, woulda.

“But one thing you've got to say is he's always stuck by what he believes. And that is the key thing. I've watched managers change their structure, change their formation, change their team going on what others have said. 

“He hasn't done that. He stuck to his guns and stuck to what he wanted, and has taken us to a semi-final and a final. So you've got to take your hat off him for that. Next steps?

“Eddie Howe for me. What I will say is being an international manager is very, very difficult, especially if you've been a club manager for so long, because being a club manager, you've got them 24/7 all the time. You're moulding them into what you want. 

“Now you're taking different philosophies from all different parts of the world and the country and you've got to bring them all together. As a coach, you're always thinking on the field, on the field, on the field, but after the time, after them are not going to be on the field because they've come from their club, they've played on the Sunday, played on the Monday, you've got a game on the Friday. 

“How do you get them in with the way that you train in? You might only get them for one training session, one real training session. So it's going to be, it's very, very challenging as an international manager. 

“That's something new to Eddie but he’s very meticulous on the training field and making sure his players understand what he wants and going through it in routine, routine, routine.  And then having them for 10 days or just seven days and trying to get them to understand what you want is very difficult.”