Howe agent comments correct

I hear that Eddie Howe’s agent was correct with his comments to Sky Sports last night, while the usual suspects in the Scottish media spun misinformation on top of what Sky reported.  It was likely the same agent who leaked that the former Bournemouth manager met Celtic last week.

It is an agent’s job to raise their client’s profile and flush out prospective employers.  If an unemployed manager is meeting Celtic, you will hear about it; those in a job need to be a bit more circumspect.  None of the latter’s agents have said a word publicly.

As the agent explained to Sky, Eddie does not want to take a job until the summer; I believe this is consistent with what he told Celtic.  Anything you subsequently read about backroom staff forced upon him is nonsense.  It did not happen.  The story is an invention to undermine Celtic, an occurrence which has an obsessional compulsion in some places.

There are reasons Howe is keen to sit on his hands for a few more weeks, the same reasons the agent is talking to Sky and someone leaked the meeting with Celtic (he has not been to Glasgow for any meetings).  There are no vacancies in the EPL right now, but that might change at Newcastle, Southampton (30 mile drive from Bournemouth), or Everton, whom he supported as a boy.  Before Eddie puts pen to paper, his agent will want all potential suitors checked out.  He is not doing his job, otherwise.  This is football.

Right now, Eddie Howe is the only manager whose agent is talking to the media, raising his profile with you and me above those who are speaking only to Celtic.  It is encouraging that we are working with this level of candidate, but until an appointment is made, or another agent breaks cover, we will need to endure the usual tripe from the usual sources.  Still, at least they are not taunting us with Roy Keane this week.