CherryPie

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The only thing I’d add to this is that the turnaround in form after the lean spell, certainly in the Championship season, was not achieved by any significant changes in formation, tactics (so far as this amateur observer could see) or selection. It was probably the most stable I can ever remember our side. I’ll stick it below in case anyone is interested. Loyalty is a huge thing for Eddie. If a player is honest, gives everything in training and on the pitch, and has what Eddie thinks is the right quality, he will reward that by being loyal in his selection. (If you are an entitled, whinging Scot who’s only interested in himself, mind, you get sent to play five-a-side with the under 12s.) I reckon that Eddie thinks that all players and teams have dips in form, and that the best way to get out of bad form is to play yourself out of it. Presumably there’s a fine balance between the short term gain of shaking things up and the long term impact on the project of not keeping faith in players who are still giving you everything and a system that has taken you to top 4 against all predictions. That said, IMHO he can take this to far. The most egregious example for me was keeping Nathan Ake on the bench for weeks (having signed him on loan) whilst we were shipping goals left, right and centre in the EPL. It took an injury and a suspension to get him on the pitch, and he immediately became one of the very best players we’ve ever had, and he wasn’t dropped thereafter. Seen Eddie turn things round so many times before. Guarantee he’ll do it again. After all, what’s harder to turn round, a lean run against some great sides (often worth many more hundreds of millions than yours) after you’ve massively outperformed literally everyone in the world’s expectations for months, or the situation you were in when he arrived? Good luck with it. Here’s the mighty Championship-winning side of 2014-15, my favourite ever. The one that played itself out of the bad patches when Eddie kept faith in it… Wilson Pitman/Kermorgant Pugh Surman Arter Ritchie Daniels Cook Elphick Francis Boruc

https://talksport.com/football/677557/jordon-ibe-bournemouth-player-banned-from-driving-for-16-months-after-crashing-bentley-into-a-coffee-shop/

His contract expired at the end of the season, but COVID pushed the end of the season beyond the end of his contract. A lot of us felt that he should have done the decent thing and seen the season out even if that meant extending his contract for a handful of games - as many, many players at clubs at all levels did. It’s how we all pulled together after a global pandemic - we all did a bit extra for each other. Eddie plucked Fraser from Scottish obscurity for 400k, turned him into the player that tore Liverpool a new one in a 4-3 victory at Dean Court, all the while (by Fraser’s own admission) looking after him like a surrogate father. We felt that he owed Eddie, if not us, that bit of loyalty. But we understand that his contract was up and even if the average person with a bit of moral fibre would have seen out the season (according to the spirit if not the letter of his contract), he was under no obligation to do so. What most people outside our fanbase don’t realise is that he was open in the press that he simply hadn’t tried for us all season (Google it). That’s the bit we really can’t forgive. He was so desperate to get his big move that he couldn’t be bothered to play for the manager who made him. And had he given his best for a full season, no way we go down. I was delighted that the move didn’t work out, that hated his shockingly bad manager and was a flop with the fans. Ironically, it was being reunited with Eddie last season that made him look like a player again for 5 minutes. He was a one season wonder for us and will be out of your doors within two more windows. Frankly, there’s no way he would have started for us on Saturday, and may not even have made the bench. (And for all the boo-boys in your stands, that’s the reality of why you didn’t beat us (and nothing to do with Eddie)… your best half a dozen players are in a different league to us, but the rest are Fraser-standard - and you can’t fix that overnight).

Which Newcastle players make the first XI for Arsenal? Probably one. Two, max. So losing away from home against this team whilst the manager is trying to revolutionise the way you play from his hotel room is hardly a surprise. I’m the biggest EH fan there is - so much so that I came up to SJP for Brentford (a game that you win 19 times out of 20 playing like that btw - you can’t do anything to plan for their first and third goals) and I’m coming back for Burnley (coz Eddie stayed in bed for Brentford). Got to give the guy some time and money. Two quality fullbacks absolutely transforms your team. In Eddie Howe teams, your two fullbacks are arguably your most important players - the way they overlap with your inverted wingers is the conduit for most of your attacking play. And he’s got literally nothing to work with there at atm. Not sure I’ve ever seen a top flight team so short in this department.

FFS, I’ve now just bought tickets for the Burnley game. We fucking WILL say goodbye. Thinking I might have a problem?

I’m trying to laugh, but…

Absolutely devastated. Early morning tomorrow for me and the lad to come up and join the mags to celebrate the start of your new era under our hero. A chance for us to say the goodbye to Eddie that was denied us by the failure of goal line technology, lockdown and relegation. Just can’t believe that we’ll be at SJP and he won’t be. We were so excited for the match. We really know how good this guy is. Feel a bit numb. Guess it’s even worse for you guys: you are just crying out for a few things to fall into place, and the whole city will be out to support Eddie’s new era, but it seems like fate has stuck her middle finger up at you again. Don’t know what to do now. This match has been keeping me going since the prospect of Eddie joining you gained traction. Gutted.

Lifelong Bournemouth fan here (since the mid-80s). Have been following this thread since the spotlight fell on Eddie. Was going to contribute earlier, but @cherryredbeat me to it and said a lot of the same things I would’ve. It’s been interesting to watch the mood evolve from sceptical/disappointed to real optimism and excitement around his appointment as you guys get to know (through vids/articles etc) a bit more about him as a manager and as a man. I hope that the tens of thousands of fans that aren’t on this forum will give him the same chance as it looks like you will. Unlike some other Cherries, I actually think this could be a match made in heaven, so long as the owners and fans can buy into Eddie’s long term vision. Eddie will bring a work-ethic, passion, intelligence and relentless desire to better not just himself and the players, but every aspect of the club and its facilities. The fact that he can be so devoted to coaching the team and every individual within it whilst simultaneously having huge and crystal clear vision for a club more broadly is pretty unparalleled. He may not give you the immediate shot in the arm of a Big Sam, but if you stick with him (whether staying up or going down) he could build you a dynasty. And to show that I’m happy to put my money and time where my mouth is, the lad and I have just bought tickets for the Brentford game so we can be there for the start of the next step in Eddie’s journey. Going to be weird properly supporting another team for the first time ever! And don’t worry about this falling through. Jason Tindall is just negotiating where his sunbed is going to go, and Eddie just needs to make sure the owners can spell his name. Genuinely good luck, and give the guy some time. He’s pure class.