First published 06:00 Friday 1 May 2015 in Sport
MANAGER Eddie Howe admits he will be pleased to see the back of “ill-judged†comments suggesting Cherries have bought their way to the Premier League.
The Dorset club’s perceived spending has this season been the subject of fierce debate among some of Cherries’ rivals in the Championship.
And while Cherries have been accused of splashing the cash in an attempt to reach the top flight, Howe has dismissed the claims and says nothing could be further from the truth.
Howe, who replaced last season’s leading goalscorer Lewis Grabban with Callum Wilson, made just two signings after the August window had closed – both loans.
He drafted in goalkeeper Artur Boruc from Southampton in September and striker Kenwyne Jones from Cardiff in March, both of whom have played a part in Cherries effectively sealing promotion.
And despite reports suggesting they had broken the bank, Cherries also fully complied with strict Football League financial fair play regulations which came into effect for the first time this season.
Howe told the Daily Echo: “I find the comments about money ill judged. I think 75 per cent of the clubs in the Championship have probably spent more than us and will continue to do so.
“It is only talked about with us because we have been successful. Other clubs have spent big transfer fees and pay big wages and that is not even mentioned.
"But, apparently, we have only been successful because we have signed a couple of players. It is so far from the truth.
“The players have given everything to improve themselves and have given everything to be successful on the picth. Our success is in no way attached to money.
“We signed one loan player in March and nobody in the January window. Look at our rivals and how many players they signed.
“Our net trading last summer was zero and we haven’t spent anything by way of transfer fees during the season. People fail to mention we sold our top scorer last summer.
“The players deserve all the credit for what they have achieved and, to label us as having done so on the back of money, takes away from their achievement.
“Show me a club that gets to this level in the Championship which doesn’t spend money?
“With the quality of the division, you aren’t going to get from the bottom of League Two to the top of the Championship without signing good players along the way.
“We could have spent but we take spending money very seriously. It’s not my money, it’s the owner's and you have to be accountable for that. You need to be able to turn to him and say ‘hopefully, I am giving you value for money'. I think what we have done has been done in a considered way.
“It will be good to leave those comments behind because all we should be talking about is the football and how well the team has done. I think it has been truly remarkable that they have done it in the style and manner they have.â€
