EDDIE Howe revealed Arsene Wenger's "huge impact" on his managerial career and said the Frenchman's Arsenal sides had provided "inspiration" for Cherries' rise up the ladder.

The longest-serving boss in English football, Wenger has come under fire following tepid Premier League defeats to Stoke and Liverpool, while critics have also questioned the approach of the Gunners in the summer transfer market.

Nevertheless, Wenger remains hugely successful having piloted the north London club to three top flight titles and a record seven FA Cup triumphs across a 21-year reign.

And Howe admitted the 67-year-old's approach had greatly influenced his views on The Beautiful Game.

Speaking ahead of the teams' clash at Emirates Stadium tomorrow (3pm), Howe said: "We didn't have had too many dealings before we came into the Premier League, he was just someone I admired greatly from afar and loved watching his teams play.

"He had a huge impact on my vision of football. I think he changed it, his teams changed it. I always used to look to Arsenal for inspiration in terms of how we could take this team in a new direction.

"Coming into the Premier League and going up against him was an honour and as you meet and play games you develop a relationship, and he is someone I have huge respect for.

"We are trying to be similar to the top teams in the division and our style has similarities to Arsenal's."

Howe is the second longest-serving manager in the top flight but is still 16 years behind Wenger.

Asked if he could see himself in the hot seat at Cherries for that length of time, Howe said: "I can't imagine that, no.

"In the modern game, I can't see that happening again. The pressures are too extreme, the reactions are too extreme to wins and defeats.

"I could be wrong and I hope I'm wrong but I don't think you will see that again."

Meanwhile, Howe admitted a lack of match minutes for Jermain Defoe and Ryan Fraser during the international break had been a cause for concern.

England star Defoe and Scotland's Fraser were called up but did not get on the field for their teams' respective World Cup qualifiers.

Responding to questions from the Daily Echo, Howe said: "The international boys who go away and play... fine. Joshua King had two games and probably needed those two games and will come back probably better than when he left.

"On the flipside, the guys who don't get any action don't really train at any intensity because they are preparing for matches and a lot of the international stuff is tactical.

"So they don't train at any intensity and they don't play and they come back, in effect, with two weeks of limited football. That is a bigger concern for me, when players don't represent their country in that time.

"That is a challenge for us."