Eddie Howe says he has “unwavering” commitment to Newcastle as long as he is supported by the club - as he continues to be linked to the England men’s manager job.
It was revealed this week that Howe is on the FA's shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate, who resigned after the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.
Speaking to Sky Sports News from Newcastle's adidas training base in Germany, Howe responded to the England speculation by saying he is solely focused on his current job.
However, amid a summer of change at Newcastle with sporting director Dan Ashworth departing for Manchester United, along with board members Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi also leaving the club, Howe said the new structure at the club "has to work for everybody".
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"It's been a strange one for me because I've been absolutely cut off from it," he said. "Fortunately I'm out here [in Germany]. So it's only through a mobile phone or someone telling me something that you hear about it.
"My commitment to Newcastle is unwavering and it has been since I came to the football club. As long as I have certain things for me - as in I'm happy, I'm allowed to work in the way I need to work in order to get the best out of me and I feel supported - then that will never change."
Howe said he hopes the new set-up, which includes Paul Mitchell as the new sporting director, will work - but says boundaries need to be set.
The Newcastle manager has also been affected by the loss of close ally Staveley, who sold her share in the club last week.
"There's been so much change that we need a period of time to know how we're all going to work and set the boundaries," he said when asked if he feels supported at Newcastle. "It's for the benefit of Newcastle, not for the benefit of me because the club's the most important thing in all of this.
"England is not important at all. It's all about Newcastle United Football Club. I'm so proud to be the manager. I've loved every single second of managing the club since I've been here, I feel passionately about bringing success here long-term.
"I feel I have such a special relationship with [the Newcastle fans]. I can't thank them enough for how they've welcomed me to the football club, how they have then supported the football club and me in good and bad moments. I'm fiercely determined to win a trophy for them, I hope we're able to achieve our objectives together."
Asked if he is flattered to be linked to the England job, Howe said: "I am patriotic, I do love my country. I do want England to win and be successful and my feeling this summer was that I hoped Gareth could win the Euros.
"We had two players [Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon] involved in that, speaking to them on a regular basis my thoughts were with them and with Gareth and I hoped that they did it. I don't think there's anything wrong with that and feeling that way.
"Whenever you're linked with another job, I've had it before in my career, it's always a positive because it means you're hopefully doing well with your club that you're working for. But my only priority and thought has ever been Newcastle United.
"Nothing will ever unsettle me from my job. That's always been the way I work. I'm very tunnel vision, I have been all summer and will continue to be."
FA reveals England job requirements in vacancy ad
The FA has formally advertised the England men's manager vacancy on its website as the search for Gareth Southgate's successor continues.
English football's governing body says it has "already identified a number of candidates" after Southgate announced his resignation from the role on July 16.
The first bullet point in the job description specifies the need to "win a major tournament". England's men's team have not won a major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
It also says the successful candidate will "have significant experience of English football, with a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions".
Other job requirements include being "experienced in successfully identifying, managing and developing English qualified players" and being "highly resilient and comfortable in a very high-profile role with intense public scrutiny".
The FA has set a deadline of August 2 for applications. England's next game is against the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League on September 7.
Click on this link to read the full job description for the England men's manager role
Who else is in the England manager frame?
Mark Bullingham, the FA chief executive, told reporters before Euro 2024 that the organisation had a comprehensive succession plan in place should either the manager of the men's or women's teams decide to leave or need to be replaced. But he refused to say who was under consideration.
It's understood an English coach would be the FA's preference but appointing a foreign manager has not been ruled out, with former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino also on the list of candidates.
Another name in the mix is current England U21 manager Lee Carsley - with the FA keen to include in its recruitment process, managers who have come through the ranks at St George's Park Howe and Graham Potter also have admirers among senior FA staff.
Another name in the mix is current England U21 manager Lee Carsley - with the FA keen to include in its recruitment process, managers who have come through the ranks at St George's Park.
England's upcoming fixtures (all Nations League)
- September 7: vs Republic of Ireland (a)
- September 10: vs Finland (h)
- October 10: vs Greece (h)
- October 13: vs Finland (a)
- November 14: vs Greece (a)
- November 17: vs Republic of Ireland (h)
Neville: Next manager should be English
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville:
"[The next manager] will have to win a trophy to surpass what Gareth has achieved.
"Over the years we have had every type of manager - the fashionable, the international manager, best English managers, people who have come through the ranks with youth teams.
"There is no science in terms of what works and there are obvious contenders. Graham Potter and Eddie Howe will get mentioned and I think it will definitely be an English manager.
"Moving to St George's Park was to promote and develop English coaches. To take that away from an English manager and give it to an international manager would be wrong.
"You can't dismiss Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, sensational managers like that but if we don't develop our own managers...
"English coaching has a long way to go to catch up with the other great nations and we have to work hard and put them in the biggest environments and toughest matches.
"Give them an opportunity."