The 38-year-old is the current favourite to take charge at the Emirates when Arsene Wenger chooses to stand aside.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe
With Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal contract up at the end of the season, the rumour mill is inevitably in overdrive regarding who may replace the Frenchman in the dugout at the Emirates.
The name that is gathering the loudest whispers at this moment in time is Eddie Howe, the man who has spearheaded Bournemouth’s charge up the divisions and is into his second season as a Premier League manager all before the age of 40.
Appointing a relative managerial novice to replace a figure with such experience would represent a bold move on behalf of the Arsenal hierarchy, but it would be a hugely exciting development for English football – as well as an inspiration for aspiring English coaches – were it to happen.
Howe’s success at Bournemouth has been built around an attractive style of play and loyalty to key players, which is strikingly similar to the characteristics of Wenger’s glory years in charge of Arsenal. The Cherries have stayed true to their footballing principles during their ascent from fourth tier to top tier and players such as Simon Francis, Harry Arter and Charlie Daniels are trusted in the starting XI against Manchester United and Chelsea just as much as they were against the likes of Oldham and Rochdale.
Howe has worked wonders with Harry Arter
The recent loan acquisition and subsequent treatment of Jack Wilshere is evidence of Howe’s man-management and persuasion skills. Wilshere had already met Alan Pardew about a prospective move to Crystal Palace before meeting Howe, and in theory the decision would have been a no-brainer; Wilshere could have stayed in London and Palace are a more established Premier League side who have spent £50 million as they aim to progress this season.
Meeting Howe, however, persuaded Wilshere that a move to the south coast to play in front of meagre crowds in a potential relegation battle was the preferable option, and that speaks volumes for the esteem in which he and his coaching methods are held. Quoted in The Daily Telegraph, the England international has already described Howe as “the perfect coach for me”, and it will be intriguing to see how the midfielder performs under Howe’s guidance.
Jack Wilshere, who was persuaded to join Bournemouth after meeting Howe
Howe is a footballing obsessive who is the first to arrive and last to leave on a daily basis at the Vitality Stadium. In an interview with Graham Hunter, he explained how “his life is on hold” because of how “all-consuming” the job at Bournemouth is.
He is notorious for his one-on-one work with individual players in which he will sit them down and explain how they can improve through the use of video and statistics. This has worked wonders for his players at Bournemouth and helped certain players perform above their natural level, as well as impressing those who are new to the club – Kenwyne Jones had been with the Cherries for less than a week in 2015 when he told the Football League website that Howe was “the best coach I’ve ever worked with.”
This individual feedback and almost obsessive man-management could have a positive impact at Arsenal, particularly with the numerous players who seem to be treading water in North London. If Howe can coax match-winning performances out of Junior Stanislas and Josh King, as he managed on several occasions last season, then he could potentially work wonders with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott, both of whom have looked out of sorts for some time.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain could benefit from Howe’s coaching methods
Of course, there are question marks about whether Howe is the right man for Arsenal at this stage. Certain managers suit certain clubs, and so far that undoubtedly seems to be the case with Howe and Bournemouth. The one spell he has had away from the south coast was an unhappy 18 months at Burnley, and while moving to the capital would not require such upheaval the added pressure that comes with a top job may not be to Howe’s liking.
He has coped with pressure before, however. The Cherries were on the verge of going out the Football League and potentially even out of business altogether when Howe took on the job without any managerial experience, but he successfully led the side to survival and kicked on from there.
Managing the expectations of the Arsenal crowd as well as the egos of the players would mean a very different kind of pressure awaits at the Emirates were he to make the switch, and that may be difficult to cope with – Howe can get on with his job at Bournemouth largely free of scrutiny because of the legendary status he holds at the club, and this would be a luxury he would not be afforded with the Gunners.
Some consider the 38-year-old too young to take such a big job
Howe’s age and relative lack of experience can be interpreted as both an advantage or a drawback depending on who you ask. On the one hand, his youthful exuberance could be just what Arsenal need to follow the ageing Wenger, and with time on his side there is the potential for Arsenal to create another dynasty in the manager’s hotseat with an appointment that looks to the future rather than chopping and changing on a regular basis.
However, despite all his achievements to date, there remains nagging doubts about whether Arsenal’s range of internationally acclaimed players would respect and listen to Howe. His one-on-one sessions may work for Callum Wilson, who arrived at Bournemouth from League One, but would they be so effective with Olivier Giroud, who has scored 21 times for France? David Moyes following Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Steve McClaren’s ill-fated England tenure are examples of what happens when managers who have achieved great success at more modest clubs are suddenly thrust into the limelight with huge jobs.
David Moyes struggled after replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United
Perhaps the answer, as Ray Parlour suggested to Sky’s Goals on Sunday, is for Howe to take a stepping stone on his way to the Arsenal job. Were he to prove himself at Everton, as Parlour suggested, or (whisper it) maybe even Southampton, it would show he could cope with a step up and stand him in better stead before taking a top job such as Arsenal. The consensus when Howe was linked with the England job over the summer was that he was too young, so does the same principle apply with Arsenal?
If Howe continues on his upward trajectory and establishes Bournemouth in the Premier League in the coming seasons then it is inevitable he will move on at some stage. With so many years ahead of him in management, however, he may be better off biding his time and waiting for the right moment to take such a grand job. Following a club legend who has been in place for so long is a thankless task – just ask the aforementioned Moyes – and Howe may find it more in his favour to let someone else take the hit before making his own move.
As the speculation rumbles on throughout the season, Howe’s name will continue to be at the forefront of the conversation. In time, it wouldn’t be at all surprising were he to go on and become a huge success at Arsenal and perhaps even England, but the end of this season feels too soon to make such a giant leap.
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