It's always difficult to tell how anyone will do elsewhere, but personally I just don't think Howe has done anything to suggest he would be a good appointment for us.
He did a great job getting Bournemouth up and keeping them there that first season, but since then they've barely treaded water. If he'd taken them even as high as 7th I'd maybe think he had a bit more about him, but bottom half finishes just don't impress me really, and they have a nasty habit of getting absolutely thrashed quite regularly which sets alarm bells going for me. He's clearly not a bad manager, but there's not a lot to suggest he's a particularly good one either. It would appear quite a lot of PL chairmen agree, based on the lack of offers he's had from elsewhere.
To each their own, I just can't think of another manager who has done what Howe has done. It's not just an OK job, it's a stupendous job.
His remit at Bournemouth has always been to buy young players at low cost and increase their potential resale value, while keeping them in the league, which he's done without much fuss. The Bournemouth board aren't going to set their expectations to qualify for Europe, their squad is tiny and it would kill them. It's been proven by many teams in the past that you have to be ready to qualify for Europe, the extra games take their toll.
For me, It's admirable to stick to your philosophy in the face of several losses of form which, by the way, he's always been able to dig Bournemouth out of. That takes resilience and a strong mentality. Also, alot of people have this impression of Howe as a soft touch, managing young players is often harder than managing senior pro's and they totally buy into him down there.
Again, watch the Harry Wilson goal v Newcastle earlier this season. Best set piece goal i've seen in years, proper innovative training ground drill, the likes of which we've never even attempted here in years!
People have been impressed by Wilder after just 14 games, and rightly so as he's done a great job at Sheffield United, but everything you could say about Wilder is even more true with Howe.
Some fans have very short memories, I get the feeling that he'll probably have to do well in the cup one year to get the recognition he deserves at fan level.
I don't think it's a case of a lack of offers for elsewhere, it's probably more likely the case that the offers he's had haven't been the right ones. It would take a bold board from the top six to appoint a manager from down the league and I'm not sure he'd consider a job with a team outside the top six unless they had genuine ambitions - otherwise it's just a sideward step.
He's an outside candidate for the Arsenal job. Alternatively, f Rodgers leaves for Arsenal, I'd say he's a shoe in for the Leicester job. When Mourinho leaves Spurs, I think he'd be a great candidate there too. And failing all that, I think he'll walk into the England job after Southgate.
Perfect for us in many ways.
