Eddie Howe is cool and composed whenever he is asked about the prospect of one day becoming England manager.
For a start, there is already somebody in the job and even finishing bottom of the UEFA Nations League and dropping into League B has not really altered the stance of the FA. Even in the direct aftermath of the 4-0 hammering by Hungary in Wolverhampton in June when fans turned viciously on Gareth Southgate, his position was still relatively safe.
And even if England don't have a great World Cup in Qatar there is a reasonable chance that he is still in charge for the next Euros in Germany in summer 2024. Unless England win either tournament or make a final or two, 2024 seems like a natural exit point for Southgate.
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Therefore it is perhaps understandable that Howe is armed with a "never say never" response when it comes to one day finding the Three Lions badge on his chest. Howe is an ideal candidate for the job after guiding Bournemouth through the English Football League and into the Premier League before then earning the right to manage Newcastle United.
This just isn't the ideal time. Whether a horrendous World Cup for Southgate and the national mood changing could prove the end of the ex-Middlesbrough skipper remains to be seen. But that's certainly not what the FA want or what they are looking at right now. The job remains Southgate's to lose.
It would probably take something like Roy Hodgson's horror show at Euro 2016 against Iceland for Southgate to go. All being well, England get through their group and make their way to the knockout stages where they could face France in the quarter-finals.
Losing to the 2018 World Cup winners may not be deemed a sackable offence in the last eight and it would be then on to qualification for Germany 2024.
Howe understandably had a big six release clause in his contract at Bournemouth but it is unclear whether he has anything similar to allow him to be appointed England boss with Newcastle. When asked about the England job this weekend, Howe said: "Gareth has done an incredible job and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
"I have been lucky enough to go in and see him work and I have a lot of time for him and Steve Holland. "They have been amazing for England. You have to remember where England were before he took over and what he has done for the country.
"I never say never, never say 'no, it won't be something I am interested in'. But, in the short term, it is not on my radar at all. It is all Newcastle and trying to make this team better.
"I have always said I love the day-to-day coaching, love being with the players on the training ground. International football, you get that taken away for long periods. At this moment in my life that is not something I want to do."
That much is true. Howe is very much a tracksuit manager and loves being with his players on the training pitches at Benton. Long gaps in the fixture list between England games certainly wouldn't appeal to a man moving into his managerial peak and with plenty still to offer. It's all reminiscent of Kevin Keegan's time as England boss.
Back then he continually turned it down as Newcastle boss and preferred to focus on being the man to finally land silverware at St James' Park. He eventually - reluctantly - took the England job after a part-time stint with Fulham but states in his book he found it difficult to cope with the months in between fixtures.
Howe reminds me of Keegan in his approach to life at Newcastle. From his attacking playing style, taste in players, to his drive and ambition, there is no reason to think he won't finally end the club's ridiculous trophy drought or decade-long wait to get back into Europe.
Keegan went through what might be in store for Howe if he decided to take the job early.
Keegan would find himself leading community courses and trying to fill in his time. Keegan said in 2011: "I found it soulless and I didn't enjoy it. Obviously, people look at the results and say they're the worst results ever of England manager. In the end, walking off after Germany, the fans were horrendous and fair enough, it was disappointing.
"And I thought, it was the fans who got me the job so it's time to go. I don't regret the England manager job, but I didn't enjoy it.
"I found it hard to fill in the time. I found myself going and training the blind team, the deaf team, working with the ladies team. It's a very difficult job and it saddens me to say it, [but] it's a better job for a foreigner than an Englishman at the moment."
There may be a time when Howe fancies a crack at the England job. But as journalists made their way to file Press conference copy, it certainly didn't feel like now. Howe's staff were preparing training at Benton and the Toon boss couldn't wait to get started ahead of the trip to Fulham. His mind was a million miles away from succeeding Southgate.
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