David James: 'Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe could manage England'

David James has told Sports Mole that Eddie Howe has all the credentials to one day manage England.

Since Howe returned to Bournemouth for a second spell at the helm three years ago, the Cherries have risen from League One to the Premier League.

Having seen the 37-year-old up close during a 19-game playing stint down on the South Coast in the 2012-13 campaign, James has insisted that the top job in charge of the Three Lions would not be beyond Howe.

"He creates an environment that is almost like a classroom. When you go into training at Bournemouth, you're there to learn," said James, who was speaking at a BT Sport media event to launch the broadcaster's football coverage for the coming season.

"He puts on sessions that are geared towards improvement. This is going to sound strange to football fans that have never been to a training session, because you assume that every club is like that, but spending many, many years in professional football, you'd be surprised how many training sessions aren't geared around either trying to improve the player or how to beat the opposition.

"Eddie brings both of those into sessions. His manner around the place is phenomenal. He can manage England as far as I am concerned."

Howe has spent the summer preparing his side for a first ever assault on the top flight of English football.

Last season they were the Championship's leading goalscorers with 98 goals, while eight players have since arrived to bolster the options available to Howe.

Despite that, the bookmakers have installed the Cherries as favourites to drop down at the first time of asking along with fellow newly-promoted outfits Watford and Norwich City.

However, James has backed his former boss, who won the Manager of the Month award on three occasions last term, to steer the club away from relegation trouble.

"The best indicator of future behaviour is past behaviour and having seen what he has done, I think he'll keep them up," added the ex-England goalkeeper.

"He came to Bournemouth when we were in the bottom half of the table, got us promoted and only just missed on the title. Two years later, he's in the Premier League. Environmentally, this is a guy who wants his players to come into work and learn how to be better. There is no reason why he cannot do that in the Premier League.

"Of course it's a completely different level to the Championship - you're not playing against half a league that are even. You're playing against some massive clubs, but I think they'll cope with it."

Bournemouth begin their campaign on Saturday afternoon with a home encounter against Aston Villa.

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