Paul Scholes doubles down on Eddie Howe and England doubts amid Newcastle United trophy questions

Howe is regarded as one of the top candidates to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager, but Scholes doesn’t believe that he or Lee Carsley are the men to lead England in the future. Carsley is currently in interim charge of the Three Lions and oversaw back-to-back Nations League wins in his first two games in charge.

Carsley will lead England in their forthcoming games against Greece and Finland later this month before concluding his interim term as manager next month in the return fixture against Greece and then the Republic of Ireland. Last month, Scholes revealed that England should look to appoint a ‘big name’ manager and speaking on the Overlap Fan Debate, he has doubled down on that view, casting doubt on Howe’s record of winning trophies and whether he would be capable of delivering silverware on an international stage:

“I think the prestige of the England job has gone a little bit,” Scholes said. “I think employing somebody who has just coached the Under-21’s, who is a coach, don’t get me wrong and he’s probably a good coach, I don’t know him, but I think England need a proper manager - not somebody who has had experience in the Under-21’s and done well with whatever age group.

“It’s that important a job that it has to be an experienced manager. Eddie Howe comes into that, I’m sure he does. But again, Eddie Howe has not really been that successful when it comes to winning prizes.

“There’s a brilliant squad there with England, an absolutely brilliant squad, really talented. I think they need the manager who lives up to that, he has to be of that stature and I just think, I can’t see Lee Carsley getting England over the line [in the big games].”

Howe has previously dismissed speculation linking him with the England job and has maintained that his full focus is on Newcastle United. He stated back in July: “I absolutely love the club. I love the supporters. I love where I am at in my career. There is no better place for me to be. That is how I feel.”