Arsenal rumors: 5 managers who may replace Arsene Wenger

Eddie Howe

Swapping Bournemouth and capacity crowds of just under 12,000 for the global juggernaut that is Arsenal Football Club is a career move that would take some getting used to, and one that Howe – in the middle of just his second season in the Premier League – has a long way to go before he’s ready to take.

There are a few things the Englishman has going for him though – actually, that’s he first: his nationality. Talented homegrown coaches are something of a rarity in the Premier League, and that means the Cherries manager, yet to reach his 40th birthday, is regarded by many as the most promising coach in English football.

That alone won’t get him the job, but he does have one or two things in common with the man whose shoes he would be filling.

Firstly, he favours a passing game which brings the most out of nimble midfielders (like Wilshere, for example) and fleet-footed forwards. He’s also big on youth development, many of the signings he’s made at Bournemouth being unpolished diamonds who Howe, a stickler for detail and someone who is in his element on the training ground, can mould into the type of players he needs. Sound familiar?

Howe would be sailing against the wind of public opinion at the Emirates. He has a reputation for being a solid coach, but one without the experience of competing for – let alone winning – major trophies. As a left-field choice, though, there are few who fit the bill better – and the Bournemouth man has the temperament to roll with the punches.