Tuchel “One of the Best” Says Howe After England Manager Snub

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has thrown his support behind new England manager Thomas Tuchel, despite revealing his preference for a home-grown coach to lead the Three Lions.

Key Points:

Howe confirms he wasn’t interviewed or contacted by FA
FA interviewed “approximately 10” candidates before appointing Tuchel
Newcastle manager labels Tuchel “one of the best” coaches
£6m+ compensation may have deterred FA approach

No Contact from FA

Speaking at Friday’s press conference, Howe confirmed he wasn’t among the “approximately 10” candidates interviewed by FA CEO Mark Bullingham for the England role. The 46-year-old Newcastle manager, one of only three English coaches in the Premier League, was previously considered a leading candidate to replace Gareth Southgate following England’s Euro 2024 final defeat.

Premier Focus

“Absolutely not,” Howe responded when asked if the FA’s lack of contact bothered him. “England have to do what is right for them. For me, it’s about Newcastle, it’s about trying to win games and it’s hard enough trying to do that if you’re 100% focussed.”

High Praise for Tuchel

Despite favoring an English appointment, Howe praised Tuchel’s credentials: “I had two days with him at Chelsea when I was out of work. What a brilliant guy, what a great person, what a great coach. If you are going to go foreign, you go for one of the best and I certainly think Thomas is one of them.”