One Big Factor That Will Decide The Fate Of Your EPL Team BOU
The story of AFC Bournemouth follows the classic Cinderella plot line of a local club who has gone against all odds to travel from England’s lowest football division to its top. In a similar fashion to Burnley last season, Bournemouth will enter the Premiership with the smallest home stadium – one managed by Dorset locals and heroes – with a squad comprised largely of names unheard of to the average fan. Furthering the narrative, without the help of last minute financial investments from people who hold Bournemouth close to their hearts, the club might not even exist.
The introduction of non-English players this summer – thanks to a generous financial bonus earned via securing a spot in the Premiership – has been a new experience for a club that was struggling to survive in League Two just six years ago. “In the dark days we struggled even to get people in to watch the team play on Saturday,” said AFC Bournemouth Commercial Director Rob Mitchell. Yet, the club managed to not only get promoted into the Premier League, it finished first in the Championship last season, instantly securing their promotion.
Bournemouth is a club who runs on passion and community and thrives off of it, making any footballing task seem possible. With an impressive +53 goal differential, and 90 of a possible 138 points won last season in the Championship, they are not a team to be overlooked. However, if Bournemouth want to continue their recent success, there will have to be numerous changes to the club that go beyond simply riding the passion of playing top-flight football.
Without a doubt, the clubs that thrive in the Prem are those who spend big and bring in overseas talent, but those practices are not guarantees. Former perennial champion Manchester United spent nearly a quarter of a billion pounds on transfers alone since Sir Alex Ferguson left, and its highest league finish in that time is 4th, accomplished by Louis van Gaal last year.
AFC Bournemouth are far from competing at the same level as United on the pitch or in the transfer market, but they are on the right path to prolong their stay in the Premier League for as long as possible. Maxim Demin, a Russian businessman, bought 50% of the club in 2011 and then the final half in 2014. His deep pockets have enabled the club to become stronger and more well-equipped for taking on England’s top teams.
Though they are the new kids on the block, Bournemouth have a solid combination of home-brewed talent mixed with a strong financial backing from Russian business. Don’t expect them to challenge for the top ten by the end of the season, but immediate relegation should not be a major concern for the club in light of last year’s struggle to stay above the bottom three for a lot of teams.
Predicted Finish: 16th
Return to the home page, or...
If you are excited about Bournemouth, check out these other teams:
