Eddie Howe getting one of the 'top jobs' in the country at Newcastle United has represented a 'step forward' for English coaches.
That is according to former England assistant manager Gary Neville after Howe was appointed as Newcastle boss little more than a year ago. Howe is one of just four Englishmen currently managing in the Premier League and the 45-year-old is the sole representative from his country in charge of a side currently in the top six in the top-flight.
With Newcastle flying in third place, Howe will, inevitably, be linked with the England job if Gareth Southgate decides to walk away in the New Year. However, Howe is very happy in his day-to-day role at St James' Park and the 45-year-old only just signed a new long-term deal last summer.
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Yet Howe getting the Newcastle job in the first place - after Unai Emery was spooked - is one of a number of reasons why Neville is optimistic about the future of coaching in his homeland.
"I was there when St George's Park was built," he said on his podcast. "I was part of the England staff that went in there for the first time and this culture of building a pathway for young English coaches: having the Pro Licence, the A-Licence coaches; trying to get more respect into the game for English players; trying to get more respect internationally and in Europe for English coaches so that we could actually start to pick up some of the top jobs again within our own country.
"We know Frank Lampard has taken Chelsea in the last few years. Graham Potter has now got Chelsea. Eddie Howe has got Newcastle so that's a step forward that some of the English managers have had jobs that would be regarded as top jobs in this country."
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