Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has implored Liverpool to consider one current Premier League manager as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Following Friday’s bombshell news that the German is to finish his time with the Reds at the end of this season, thoughts have turned to who might be given the unenviable task of following in his gargantuan footsteps.
The former Aston Villa midfielder thinks LFC mightn’t have to look beyond England for a replacement, saying on Sky Sports‘ Soccer Saturday (27 January, 14:20): “I would like to chuck someone in there that isn’t even on there (the list).
“Things aren’t great at Newcastle but I think maybe someone like Eddie Howe, someone that knows the Premier League. He has gone to a football club that has been a tough one to really deal with. I think people have doubted him.
“I am not saying he’s leaving Newcastle, but you look at managers that aren’t in the frame. I think [Roberto] De Zerbi and Eddie Howe. I think I would be looking at Eddie Howe because I like the way he plays.”
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Hendrie is right in saying that, despite only being 46 years of age, Howe would bring ample experience to the Liverpool dugout, having taken charge of 572 matches as a manager already, with 276 of those in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).
He took Bournemouth into the top tier in 2015 and finished an improbable ninth with the Cherries two years later, while his first full season at Newcastle ended with them ending a 20-year wait for Champions League qualification.
The one caveat is that both of those achievements were followed by notable descents the following term, rather than being a springboard towards even better things. At Liverpool, Klopp consistently improved our league position and European performance for several years in succession.
Howe could also struggle to win over the Anfield fan base given the regular flashpoints between the two clubs over the past couple of seasons, much of which has been fuelled by his assistant Jason Tindall, whose shushing gesture towards the Reds’ management earlier this season was bitter and classless.
In our view, the 46-year-old is a good manager, but we don’t think he’d be the right fit for the LFC job. We certainly couldn’t envisage him capturing the hearts of the Kop in the same manner that Klopp achieved so quickly.
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No. Just no. Someone take away his crack pipe!
April the 1st already. This year is flying!!!!!
Is this guy for real? Eddie Howe? Let’s clear this up, since the Premiere League started in 1992, no English manager has ever won it. Eddie Howe isn’t going to be the one to break that run, no matter who he manages.
For the record, he hasn’t “implored” Liverpool to sign him, he’s just added his name to the ever growing list, like ever other TV/radio pundit. I dread to think who Gobby will be coming up with on Talk Radio.
Not a hope. Alonso or Xavi. Eddie howe is a good manager but not for Liverpool. Mourhino will be taking over at Newcastle soon anyway. God help them. The miserable one.