Are we still a selling club or will AFCB be able to say ''no'' this summer? Offers for our players will no doubt arise, but keeping the squad together will be something that Eddie Howe will be desperate to achieve.
The rumour mills have started early this summer with possible AFCB player interest from other clubs and now some management sackings and resignations have further upped interest in those who had a successful season in 2012-13. While supporters like you and me only want to keep our best players and look to build on what has been a great team effort, there will be those who have envious eyes who will attempt to see if they can tempt certain individuals away from the Cherries over the coming months.
You can't blame players for leaving though either. They only have one career and will always look to maximise their earning potential, especially if a move to a top Premiership club comes along.
I'm not actually too convinced that our management duo or top players will be seeking any moves just yet. While better finances and the chance to be in the Premiership could tempt one or two, the kind of positive spirit and sense of belonging at AFCB is a pull factor that many other clubs simply haven't got. AFCB is buzzing - it's very hard to leave such a club.
Over the weekend though there was Twitter gossip about supposed bids coming in for Matt Ritchie from Sunderland and Mr Di Canio to the tune of £2 million and £3 million. AFCB fans might hope that Sunderland face the drop, so that they are less inclined to cast their eyes on League One's top voted player for last season.
Other targets for some clubs will probably include Brett Pitman and Harry Arter who have both had great seasons for the Cherries. To be honest, the club and the players should be flattered to be getting such attention. I just hope the season starts with most of our star players and management team still in place at Dean Court.
The rumour mills have started early this summer with possible AFCB player interest from other clubs and now some management sackings and resignations have further upped interest in those who had a successful season in 2012-13. While supporters like you and me only want to keep our best players and look to build on what has been a great team effort, there will be those who have envious eyes who will attempt to see if they can tempt certain individuals away from the Cherries over the coming months.
You can't blame players for leaving though either. They only have one career and will always look to maximise their earning potential, especially if a move to a top Premiership club comes along.
I'm not actually too convinced that our management duo or top players will be seeking any moves just yet. While better finances and the chance to be in the Premiership could tempt one or two, the kind of positive spirit and sense of belonging at AFCB is a pull factor that many other clubs simply haven't got. AFCB is buzzing - it's very hard to leave such a club.
Over the weekend though there was Twitter gossip about supposed bids coming in for Matt Ritchie from Sunderland and Mr Di Canio to the tune of £2 million and £3 million. AFCB fans might hope that Sunderland face the drop, so that they are less inclined to cast their eyes on League One's top voted player for last season.
Other targets for some clubs will probably include Brett Pitman and Harry Arter who have both had great seasons for the Cherries. To be honest, the club and the players should be flattered to be getting such attention. I just hope the season starts with most of our star players and management team still in place at Dean Court.
The restructuring plans of AFCB are hopefully not major surgery from here on in. But clubs will have been alerted to the fact that the Cherries may be looking very closely at balancing the books even after a promotion.
While many have tried and failed before to entice Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall away from the club, with only Burnley achieving success in this aim, I suspect that our management duo feel that they have only just started what they hope to be a long and fruitful chapter of their second management spell at the club. They have the opportunity of taking AFCB higher than it has ever been before and I think they are committed to that objective now. Why would Millwall or Wolves, for example, be of interest to them? Bigger clubs they may be but AFCB is entering a new age and the talent we have now is something we have never had before.
While many have tried and failed before to entice Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall away from the club, with only Burnley achieving success in this aim, I suspect that our management duo feel that they have only just started what they hope to be a long and fruitful chapter of their second management spell at the club. They have the opportunity of taking AFCB higher than it has ever been before and I think they are committed to that objective now. Why would Millwall or Wolves, for example, be of interest to them? Bigger clubs they may be but AFCB is entering a new age and the talent we have now is something we have never had before.
It's the 2014-15 season that will worry me more, when AFCB have hopefully had a good campaign in the Championship and the team has another year of experience behind it. If our players improve again on what they have managed this year, they and the management will attract even more attention.
But if AFCB want to be a stable Championship club, it is now that we have to build on the success rather than looking to dismantle its foundations. UTCIAD!
Money talks. If a bigger club comes in with a big offer then it will always turn heads . . . .
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