Howe ‘proud’ of Bournemouth display despite FA Cup exit

Eddie Howe says that despite seeing his Bournemouth side eliminated from The FA Cup by Liverpool, his team can move on with their heads held high.

Goals from Victor Moses and Daniel Sturridge were enough to book Brendan Rodgers’ side a place in the Fifth Round draw - however, the seven-time FA Cup winners did not have it all their own way and faced a resolute Bournemouth side – who were arguably the better team for large periods of the game.

“When we looked at our preparations for the game what we wanted first and foremost was obviously a result, but also a performance where everyone went away thinking what a good football team Bournemouth are,” said Howe. 

“Not only a good football team but how hard they work for each other. So that was the sort of challenge we set ourselves.

“Hopefully we did that, we obviously didn’t get the result to match but I don’t think it was far away.”

Liverpool were sent crashing out of The FA Cup at this stage in 2013, by an Oldham side that went toe-to-toe with their illustrious guests, and outmuscled them across the pitch.

Howe – a man from the same footballing school of thought as his friend and counterpart Brendan Rodgers – said that this approach was not one that was available to him, and despite the result, he is proud of the way his players handled the occasion.

“We don’t have the players to do it – and that’s not to say I would have gone down that route anyway,” he added.

“They’re not built that way and we don’t recruit them to play that way. We’re trying to create a club here that’s built on possession, much like Brendan is doing at Liverpool.

“This was a really good chance to go toe-to-toe with a really good footballing team, one of the best in the country. I felt that we gave a really good account of ourselves.

Rodgers and assistant Colin Pascoe watch on at the Goldsands.

“We kept going, we never gave up and our heads never dropped – and that really pleases me. I’ve just said to the players that if we replicate that level of performance in our own league we’ll have no worries about what we’re going to do this season.

“I’m very proud because it takes a lot of hard work to get to this stage. It does show that if you work hard, live your life well, then the reward is there.

“The challenge now is to produce that level of performance in their own league week in week out.”

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers was also full of praise for Howe.

“Coaches like Eddie Howe are the sort of coaches that will take the game forward in this country,” said the Liverpool boss.

“Absolutely [he could manage at the top level]. He’s a good guy – he’s someone that, for sure, will go on. He’s 36 years of age, he’s improving all the time and has a great career ahead of him.”