Friday 17 May 2013

AFCB: we don't know how good we are yet

This season seems to be the year for retirement. First our own sup Fletch decides to call time on a fantastic career and then Fergie and Scholes, only to be followed by David Beckham. It doesn't seem like the end of the season but more like the end of an era.

Like most good wines though, there will be a new vintage to come along on the heels of the last one. We have a lot to look forward to at AFCB. Unlike many sides we have a very settled team with a manager and assistant manager who know exactly what to expect come 3rd August 2013. Experience of the Championship may not be what all of our players have, but they will not go into that arena without being well prepared for the competition.

It niggled me a bit to see a Premiership teams blog taking the Mickey out of Leeds Utd fans saying that they only had small teams to play next season, but at least they had a few trips to the coast. It is going to take time for AFCB to establish itself at the higher levels of English football. We are seen as an outsider, an interloper or gate crasher by many. Yet, when they see the Cherries going to their ground with no fear and taking down some of the so-called giants, AFCB will become more noticed.

If Eddie Howe is also able to invest in some experienced Championship players to add to the squad that will also alert the competition that we will be no push over. If the new era means that the old names at the top of the table have to make way for the new ones who are playing with pride and passion then the Championship had better watch out, because AFCB will look to gain experience quickly over the summer and the start of next season.

The Cherries are coming and we may catch out quite a few by surprise. We may start out the next campaign with an ambition similar to Barnsley, Doncaster, Huddersfield and Yeovil/ Brentford (no disrespect to any of them), but it will be intriguing to see Eddie Howe take on the Leeds, Burnley's and Brighton's of this world and see if he can put AFC Bournemouth firmly on the football map. The great things is, we really don't know how good our team is yet which makes us a really dangerous opponent for any team.

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