While some fans were busy scouring airports, training grounds or fans forums to see which multi-million pounds imports were arriving at their clubs on transfer deadline day, Bournemouth fans were digesting the news that manager Kevin Bond has been sacked.
For many fans the news will have come as something of a relief, sections of our support have been calling for Bond’s head since early last season and this season’s indifferent start – with just two points in four games when we started on minus 17 - gave them further cause for rancour.
But I don’t agree with our new board on this one.
Regardless of whether it was Bond or our financial problems that got us relegated from League One last season (we would have stayed up had it not been for our ten point deduction for going into administration) the new board gave Bond their backing over the summer so their patience has ostensibly lasted just four league games.
The collective effort from the team during Saturday’s defeat at Port Vale was unacceptable but, as I have already said, this cannot be purely the fault of Bond and some blame must be attached to the players.
I hope they realise they were partly responsible for the decision to dismiss Bond, as well as his assistant Rob Newman and reserve team coach Eddie Howe.
Another issue I have is with the timing. Bond was given a matter of days to build a squad between the lifting of our transfer embargo and the transfer deadline but he had brought players in, now the new boss is simply going to be working with another man’s team.
I feel Bond did a respectable job in indescribably difficult circumstances, he always held his head high and remained professional to the end.
I will reserve judgement on his replacement Jimmy Quinn, whose recent managerial experience has mainly been in the Conference (could be handy next season) and whose record in recent years is not exactly spectacular.
By all accounts (it was a bit before my time on the terraces) he was a decent and popular player during a spell at Dean Court in the early 90s but every football fan knows that isn’t a guarantee of managerial success.
Meanwhile, the appointment of former Cherries defender Jason Tindall has been received by most fans with all the warmth of a Siberian winter.
The general perception is that he bombed while in charge of south coast neighbours Weymouth and is only in the equation to attract investment from his wealthy father-in-law, music promoter Mel Bush.
But I know some people who feel Tindall came off far worse than he deserved during his time in charge at the Wessex Stadium.
He was limited by a small budget and uncertain times at the club and did his best to create a young side that played attractive football.
This ultimately proved to be his downfall as the youngsters struggled in the hurly-burly atmosphere of the Conference and as soon as the Terras began to flirt with relegation Tindall was given short shrift.
Tindall himself is still only 30 (a recurring knee injury forced a premature end to his playing career) and he should be given another chance to prove himself as a coach.
New owners, new management, this is definitely a new era for AFC Bournemouth and I just hope we’re looking forward come next April and not looking back wondering what might have been.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment