Wenger coy over England coach links

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to completely rule out accepting a potential offer to take charge of England at the end of the season. Wenger has been linked with the England job following the Football Association’s decision to part company with Sam Allardyce on Tuesday.
Quizzed on possible England interest after Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Basel, Wenger stopped short of confirming he would snub an FA approach. Allardyce’s self-inflicted exit after his controversial comments to undercover reporters has left the FA searching for a new boss and they have appointed England Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate as interim manager to buy them time.
Southgate will pick the team for England’s remaining four matches this year and could be persuaded to remain in charge until the end of the season if there was a chance to hire a top-class boss like Wenger.
Wenger, who is this week celebrating 20 years with the Gunners, underlined his commitment to Arsenal, but also said his future was only tied to the north Londoners until the end of the season.
Asked if he was flattered to be linked with the job, Wenger said: “Of course, but my priority has always been this club and until the end of this season I am here. I’m completely focused on this club. Nothing will change on that. It (Allardyce leaving) was a huge surprise. Who could have predicted that 48 hours ago? Nobody...”
Wenger traditionally operates on a year-to-year basis these days and only decides whether he wants to continue as Arsenal’s manager late in each season. That approach gives a little hope to the FA if they make Wenger their top target and he answered with a nod and a smile when asked if he knew the words to the English national anthem.
But for now the Frenchman, who years ago revealed he had once rejected an offer to manage England, is fully focused on maintaining Arsenal’s encouraging progress after they extended their unbeaten run to eight games. “That is not decided,” Wenger said of his long-term plans. “I said my priority was always Arsenal football club. I have to decide how well I do until the end of the season.”

Howe rules out England
job — for now
Meanwhile, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe ruled himself out yesterday of replacing Allardyce as England manager, although he said the “ultimate job” could tempt him later in his career.
Howe was linked with the England job after Roy Hodgson resigned following the team’s embarrassing exit from this year’s European Championships in France at the hands of Iceland. But he insisted he wanted to help cement south coast side Bournemouth’s place in the Premier League as he followed United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann and Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew in ruling himself out of replacing Allardyce.
“They (the Football Association) haven’t come to me and my message is very similar. I am committed here, I love the job and I have a lot more to do here,” Howe said. “I think I have said in many interviews that the England job is the ultimate job. It’s all hypothetical of course but I could not turn my back on this club.
“I want to show loyalty to the people who have employed me, the same loyalty that they showed me. It sounds arrogant but I am not interested in the (England) job now, but you never know what will happen in the future.”
Pardew, who played alongside Southgate for the south London club, has also been linked to the England job. But he insisted he was happy at Selhurst Park. “Eddie Howe said this morning it was the pinnacle for any Englishman’s career, I agree with that,” said Pardew.
“I’m so lucky to have this football club where it is right now, the chairman and I have a great relationship.
They have shown me great faith and I have a team I have a good feeling about. This football club at this time is where I want to be.”