Could Eddie Howe be about to return to Portsmouth but this time as manager? The Sunday Mirror has today fuelled speculation that he could be interested in the position vacated by former Burnley gaffer, Steve Cotterill who recently became Nottingham Forest manager.
Howe had a brief spell at the Hampshire club as a player but only turned out for two games due mainly to a persistent knee injury.
The tabloid believes that Howe is keen to return to the South coast where he spent most of his playing and managerial career at Bournemouth.
One source at Portsmouth is reported as saying:
“He (Howe) is an ambitious young manager with a good track record.”
Portsmouth though have apparantly had 50 applicants for the vacant post and others strongly in the frame appear to be former Doncaster Rovers boss, Sean O’Driscoll and Molde coach and Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
There have been rumblings that Howe has not been happy at Burnley with suggestions that the Board have not matched his appoinment with the ambition he was expecting. He certainly seemed less than happy about losing Danny Fox to Southampton and has spent most of the season with an understrength squad being unable to bring in the reinforcements he wanted both in the now closed summer transfer window and in the still open loan window to date.
It is difficult though to believe, he would make the move to Portsmouth after such a brief spell at Turf Moor. Surely it would be better, if he continued to build his own team this season and see how things pan out? Howe certainly has my full backing despite my feeling he has so far been dealt a rough hand by the Board. My fear is that the fans though could turn against him unless we can move away from the bottom half of the table and begin to look like promotion contenders come the festive season. Our team seems to be blowing hot and cold at the moment and it looks like things could go either way considering we are five points off the drop zone but equally just six points off a play-offs spot with a game in hand.
What do our readers think? Tell us below this article
Share this article
