EDDIE HOWE held back tears as he reflected on Bournemouth’s relegation from the Premier League.
The Cherries beat Everton 3-1 on the final day of the season but Aston Villa’s draw with West Ham meant Dean Smith and Co finished a point above the Cherries to stave off the drop.
Bournemouth boss Howe was emotional after his side’s relegationCredit: AP:Associated Press
Speaking after his side’s win at Goodison Park, Howe was unsurprisingly emotional to see the end of Bournemouth’s five-year stint in the Premier League.
He said: “The emotions are just a lot of pain. I feel very emotional trying to keep it together.
“I feel really sad for the supporters of this club.
“They haven’t been with us for the last part of the journey and that’s made it even harder.
“I think it’s a time for reflection, it’s a time to see what the next step is.
“I need to sit down with people at Bournemouth and see what we’re going to do next.”
Pressed on whether he was committed to bringing Bournemouth back up to the Premier League, Howe did not commit.
He added: “The one thing I can’t question within myself is my commitment to the job, to what I’ve tried to give this year.
“It’s not been through a lack of effort.
“Now is a time for reflection, and I’ll speak to the people I need to speak to and see what we do.”
Howe, 42, was the longest-serving manager among Premier League bosses in 2019-20 having rejoined Bournemouth in October 2012 after an 18-month spell at Burnley.
The Cherries finished the season on 34 points, taking just seven points from their remaining nine games after the season’s restart.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
