SOUTHAMPTON hotshot Charlie Austin’s England credentials have been backed by the man plotting to keep him quiet – Cherries boss Eddie Howe.

Howe had hoped to hand then-Poole Town striker Austin his big break in the professional game in 2009 but was thwarted by Cherries’ transfer embargo.

Having taken the hotseat at Burnley, Howe snapped up the free-scoring hitman from Swindon with his prolific antics in the Championship paving the way for a switch to QPR.

Under ex-Cherries boss Harry Redknapp, he won promotion from the Championship and netted 18 goals in his maiden Premier League campaign despite the Rs being relegated.

In January, Austin returned to the top flight with Southampton and could feature in tomorrow's derby date at Vitality Stadium (7.45pm). 

And Howe reckons his step-by-step rags to riches rise from non-league has given him the perfect platform to force his way into Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 plans.

“He has every chance to get there,” said Howe.

“I still think he is young enough and the end of this season could be really important for him because England aren’t blessed with a huge array of strikers to pick from.”

Elaborating on Austin’s rise, Howe said: “I think he has improved. He has not done it in one jump, it has been a gradual process from Poole Town, to Swindon, to where he is now.

"He seems to have taken every step in his stride and I think that has been a real factor.

“Also, I think you need to be strong enough mentally to handle the rise. With that comes more exposure, more money and he has been very level headed and able to keep his motivation levels very high.

"He just has an ability to score and was the first thing that struck me.

"Charlie had just come to us on trial from Poole Town and we were playing a small-sided game, I remember him hitting this volley into the bottom corner without even blinking.

"He was playing against really good players who had done well in League Two. Immediately, you take notice and think ‘this boy has something’.

“From that moment, he never changed. He still has that ability now.”

Despite Austin’s QPR contract being set to expire in the summer, many were surprised by the bargain £4million fee that Southampton got their new man for.

“It was good business, I think they’ve done well,” said Howe.

“He is a player that a lot of people have admired for a long time. We were frustrated here many years ago when we tried to sign him but we were embargoed and he went to Swindon.

“We still keep a very close eye on his career because he is someone we admire greatly as a goalscorer.

“He knows the positions to take, he’s technically very good when the ball comes into those areas and always seems to score.

“I think he will do very well. He is supplemented by a very good squad around him and they will play to his strengths as well by getting balls into the box so I see no reason why he cannot excel for Southampton.”

Austin bagged a decisive debut goal from the substitutes’ bench at Manchester United and made his first start against Chelsea on Saturday.

But on the prospect of stopping the Saints, Howe was adamant Cherries must not focus too much attention on Austin.

“It is about many things, not just the player himself,” he added.

“When I look back at the Watford game and the threat of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo, I felt our centre-halves dealt with them very well so we will have to be as good as we were against them."