Three ways to back your team: Bournemouth
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Are you sweet on The Cherries chances?
Bournemouth finished ninth last season, an incredible effort for a team of their size, with the budget at their disposal, and manager Eddie Howe came in for his fair share of credit. The gaffer was even priced near the head of the betting to be Arsenal’s next manager, during Wenger’s darkest days.
Howe, his team and the board now have two choices. Continue to slap each other on the back and say well done, we created a record, or push on and establish themselves as a top-10 side. The latter will be no easy task, with this season’s Premier League shaping up to be one of the most competitive in living memory. Let’s look at ways to support them in the betting this term.
Board backing Howe
Bournemouth have been extremely busy during the summer – not up to Everton’s standards, but certainly a lot more ambitious than most finishing around them in the order last term. Jermain Defoe was kept in the Premier League, and it’s little surprise, as he scored some cracking goals last season, and we couldn’t see him taking the plunge down into the Championship. Even at 34 years old, he still has plenty to offer up front. They also added defender Nathan Ake from Chelsea for a club record fee of £20m. The Holland cap promises to be a shrewd investment. Blackburn’s Connor Mahoney joined on a four-year deal, but is likely to be one for the future. Getting their house in order, they extended the contracts of fans’ favourite Dan Gosling and Harry Arter. If Bournemouth leave it there it’ll go down as a great transfer window, but more is expected. With the board backing the manager, mixing youth and experience, they deserve a second look in the top-10 betting at 11/5.
Bournemouth fans can dream
Fancy them to improve a couple of places and end in the top-six? Surely that bet would be one for diehard fans only, but it’s certainly not an impossible task. With a big season in the books, everyone at Dean Court will be confident going forward, they know just what they are capable of, and no side in the division will go down to the south coast and expect to pick up three easy points. Bournemouth aim to build everything off strong home form, and although they’ve been promising in the transfer window, keeping hold of manager Eddie Howe is, by far, their best piece of business this summer. He’s a manager going places, and will be keen to prove it again this term. The 39-year-old is destined for the top, and now has the full backing of his fans and the club’s accountants. A top-six finish at 20/1, that may just attract a few bits of interest.
Cherries up for the cup
In Defoe, they have a player who knows exactly what it takes to succeed in English football, and exactly what it means to play for this football club. His previous employers Sunderland went down, and he endured a horrible summer away from sport, but will return with his feet on the ground and loving every minute of his football. We really wouldn’t put anyone off a small play on him to be Premier League top scorer, given the back story, but as well as goals he also brings a will to win, and that’ll rub off on his teammates. Fancy Bournemouth and Defoe to taste silverware this season? They are 40/1 to win the League Cup, or the same price to bank the FA Cup. Why not?
