'Best in class': Simon Jordan gives his view on reports suggesting The FA won't pay Eddie Howe compensation

Lee Carsley has now taken charge of four games as interim England manager and in his third game he may have told everyone that he is not ready for the job on a permanent basis.

England were beaten at Wembley by Greece, a nation who had never so much as scored at Wembley before Thursday and had never beaten England. Not only did they manage a 2-1 win, they had the ball in the back of the net five times with another shot cleared off the line.

No doubt alarm bells were ringing in FA HQ as they were amongst Newcastle United fans who knew that the Eddie Howe speculation was about to be revived.

Eddie Howe has moved to put some distance between him and the England job, but we know how the media works in this country, they will find a way to revive the story, and indeed they have.

The FA do not want to pay Eddie Howe's compensation to take him as England manager

The latest is that The FA wouldn't make a move for Howe as they would have to pay around £6 million in compensation to Newcastle, which they aren't prepared to do.

However, former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has slammed that idea on his show on TalkSPORT claiming that it's a ridiculous thing for The FA to come out with as an excuse to not get a 'best in class' manager.

“If I think Eddie Howe is the best in class, given the prolificacy of the FA and what they waste money on endlessly, I wouldn’t be worried about paying compensation to get the best manager.

“That’s a ridiculous observation. The reason they don’t want to do it is because there’s other arguments going on about their lack of funding into grassroots football. They don’t like the optics of paying £5million compensation for the national team manager.

“What market are they operating in? They’re operating in a market (of) the next best version of class. Let’s say that looks like Eddie (Howe). The English FA, that’s supposed to be the regulator for the world’s richest league, cannot and will not pay the rate to get the best operator.

“If I want Howe, and I’m in the FA and the only reason I won’t get him is because I wouldn’t pay the compensation, then I’ll pay it.”

Eddie Howe has no interest in the England job at this point in time

We hope that The FA do cower behind the compensation package. Any reason to keep Eddie Howe's name out of their mouths.

There's a huge confidence that Howe has no desire to take up the England job right now anyway, but endless speculation, even when everyone knows the truth, can still serve to disrupt things.

We're not sure who will take the England job full time, but it's not going to be Lee Carsley or Eddie Howe and that'll do for us for now.