COMMENT: Lee Bradbury Sacked – but is it all it appears?

AFCB

So it’s come to this. 14 months after he took over the managerial role from Burnley bound Eddie Howe last January, AFC Bournemouth have parted ways with manager Lee Bradbury.

The decision comes after just 2 wins in 11 games for the Cherries, which included 5 back-to-back losses. But after a typically withdrawn statement from both club and chairmen Eddie Mitchell, we can’t help but ask the question:- why did he really go?

In an extraordinarily closed off interview with BBC Sport, Mitchell announced cryptically the decision was “best for the club”, but refused to add further comment, instead avoiding all accountability. In a press conference by the club, it was revealed a disagreement between Mitchell and Bradbury occurred when he was offered extra support from now interim manager Paul Groves and head of youth Shaun Brookes, who will take over until the end of the season. According to Mitchell, Bradbury refused and the pair left on ‘amicable terms’, but for a man with a history of controversy, it’s hard to believe the altercation was purely professional.

“It contributes further to the appearance from the outside, the club are unable to control its trigger-happy chairmen, who acts more like an over-zealous fan than a professional owner.” 

Adding more fuel to the controversy fire, just over a week ago Mitchell gave Bradbury his full backing despite the poor run and dwindled promotion challenge. Yet within a fortnight, he has reversed his position, and left the whole of Bournemouth wondering what the final nail in the coffin was. Refusing to say whether the choice was based on pressures from new co – owner, and oil billionaire Maxim Demin, Mitchell continually reiterated it “wasn’t his place” to comment on. A man, who is not finding himself accountable for his position as chairmen has now left the club in turmoil, choosing to jet off to Dubai for 2 weeks to escape the storm.

Clearly Bradbury’s investment in the promotion push in January hasn’t paid off, and he’s paid the ultimate price of modern day football. Matt Tubbs is struggling the settle in after his club record signing, and instead of the desired 6^th place AFCB spent over £1million to achieve, the Cherries find themselves in 13^th after another narrow loss against Oldham at the weekend.

But is there any function in dumping Bradbury now? In a time where AFCB need a period of stability after weeks of media attention, which included banning the Bournemouth Daily Echofrom reporting at Seward Stadium, and Mitchell cut off Radio 5 live after swearing 3 times, the move does nothing to steady the ship. Instead, it contributes further to the appearance from the outside, as a club unable to control its trigger-happy chairmen, who acts more like an over-zealous fan than a professional owner.

“It’s hard to believe the altercation was purely professional.”

Sure, the Cherries have been on a poor run of late, but for those that have followed the team over the past 2 months, the run – in they’ve had has been incredibly tough, and they’ve challenged the likes of Charlton, Carlisle and MK Dons, only to fall victim to late strikes and unlucky results.

With just 8 games to go, bringing in Groves till the end of the season clearly isn’t a long-term solution, and with Bournemouth no longer fighting for a noteworthy position in League One, there is little rational for relieving Bradbury if not for personal reasons.

What those personal reasons are we may never know. Obviously details will arise to the decision by Mitchell and the club, but the truth may never surface. Matters are not made easier by Mitchell’s strenuous relationships with the media, and by not coming out with a clear reason why Bradbury has been relieved of duty leads nothing else for  us, and the fans to go on but suspicion.

AUDIO: Sports Show FM Special Preview

Just a taste of what to expect from Nerve Sport’s FM Show Special. 24th March. 3 – 5:30pm. Turn your speakers up.

Going live across Dorset and the UK on Nerve Radio 87.7FM, the award winning sports show is back and bigger than ever. Packed full of interviews, features and competitions, the Sports Show FM returns to your airwaves Saturday 24th March 3-5:30pm. Don’t miss it.

Mcilroy vs Woods: Has the New Prodigy Come Too Late for a Rivalry?

AP Images

Golf’s been waiting for a rivalry this sweet for a long time. This week Rory Mcilroy overtook fellow Brit Luke Donald as the World No.1 after securing the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic with a two shot victory over a resurgent Tiger Woods. The rise, unsurprising to some after Mcilroy’s record breaking US Open Championship win last year, which saw him shoot an all time low 268, 16 under par to become the youngest winner since Bobby Jones in 1923.

The young Northern Irishman now becomes the 2^nd youngest No.1 since Woods himself in 1997, and shows no signs of slowing up since his historic Congressional victory either. With top 5 finishes in 9 of his last 10 tournaments and a 2^nd place at the World Match Play Championship, he is fast establishing himself as the undisputed champion of world golf.

Yet what made the Honda Classic so interesting was the glimpse of something golf has long been waiting in the wings for. Tiger shot a personal low 62 in the final round, his best ever closing day finish and his lowest score over 72 holes since his last PGA Tour win way back in September 2009 at the BMW Championship. Despite Mcilroy remaining composed to shoot at solid 69 to clinch his 3^rd PGA Tour victory, Wood’s late surge proved he still has the imperious talent inside him, we just haven’t seen it consistently enough in the past 3 years.

Woods has been plagued with personal issues and a shoddy knee during Mcilroy’s rise to prominence, and has yet to find anything close to his true form in the past 18 months. But what last Sunday saw was Woods standing up to be counted and heading face on into battle with who could become his fiercest rival, ironically after he is no longer king. During Tiger’s reign of supremacy, few challengers emerged to dethrone him, and he became what Schumacher was to F1, but lacked the dramatic ferocity that Sampras was to Agassi.

Sure golf has thrown up some exceptional talents in the 15 years since Woods first became No.1, but none of them ever signalled a true intent to usurp the mighty Woods. The likes of Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson have all lit up the game of golf during their time, without ever threatening the face of the modern day Jack Nicklaus.

Harrington (3), Els (3) and Mickelson (4) all held the biggest challenge to Woods’ supremacy in terms of Major wins, but compared to Tiger’s 14, there hasn’t been a genuine rivalry in golf since the days of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer back in the 60s.  Not to say no rivalries have existed, as Phil Mickelson is one of the best golfers of his generation and there has never been much love loss between the pair, but there never existed a plausible chance of Mickelson overtaking Woods in his hay day, yet with Mcilroy there does.

“It would be a sad situation to see the best golfer of a generation slowly wilt away into obscurity without ever truly reconciling for the actions that may well determine him.”

What golf fans will hope across the world is that Mcilroy’s genuine threat of a 10+ major winning career will spark a flame in Tiger’s belly, and inspire him to react like the true champion he is. Whilst there is no contending that Mcilroy is deservedly the best player in world golf at the moment, despite only officially so since last Sunday, the concept of Tiger invigorating his former self to the 14 major winning, longest running No.1 and record number PGA Player of the Year is a site any golf fan salivates at the thought of.

Undoubtedly golf, more specifically British golf has seen a meteoric rise during Woods 2 and half year absence.  We’ve seen an emotional Open Championship victory for Darren Clarke, Ryder Cup triumph for Monty’s Europe, US Opens for Graeme McDowell and Mcilroy, as well as 3 British number 1’s in a row for Westwood, Donald and now the prodigal Northern Irishman.  But for a fan that grew up on Woods, something’s missing without him in the picture. It would be a sad situation to see the best golfer of a generation slowly wilt away into obscurity without ever truly reconciling for the actions that may well determine him.

“It may be naive to believe anything other than the facts; nothing has changed. Mcilroy is still winning tournaments and Woods is still trailing behind.”

For some though, however much promise from Woods, it may be naïve to believe anything other than the facts; nothing has changed. Mcilroy is still winning tournaments, looking set to enjoy the view of No.1 for some time, whilst Woods is still trailing behind. Whether he can achieve the record 283 consecutive weeks of Mr Woods remains to be seen, but the new kid on the block is in imperious form.

Yet maybe even Mcilroy himself is secretly hoping for a rivalry. Only then, when he’s truly beaten a resurgent Woods reverent of the one he grew up idolising, will he prove he’s the best.  Maybe it’s the other way round, with Mcilroy the key for Woods. In the young Northern Irishman he see’s a naturally gifted golfer, compared to himself who has worked tirelessly (albeit effectively) to reconstruct his swing to maintain dominance. But in Tiger we see a fighter, a true champion ready for the challenge. This rivalry may never materialise and Mcilroy may continue to assert himself as the undisputed champion of world golf, it’s something we’ve been yearning for years, something we can’t wait to watch grow.

Crunch Time for Cherries: AFC Bournemouth’s Promotion Salvage.

Lee Bradbury's men have a crunch period coming up if they are to clinch promotion. AFCB

With every passing game, AFC Bournemouth’s slim promotion challenge looks less and less likely. The Cherries came into February on the back of just one loss in seven, and up to 8th from 15th at the beginning of December. January saw AFCB pick up 10 points, a quarter of their total up to that point, and established themselves as the in – form team in League One. Manager Bradbury had spent big, investing in the promotion push, and the dream scenario that looked impossible mid – November, was becoming even more plausible.

But what a difference a week makes in football.

AFCB have suffered 3 losses on the trot for the first time since August, and going into a crunch period for the Cherries, with their next 4 fixtures against teams currently sitting above them, a jam-packed March couldn’t be more important for Bradbury’s men.

Bournemouth find themselves in 10th, a far from impossible 5 points off the final playoff spot, but everyone above them (including a couple below them) bar Notts County, all fighting for that 6th spot have 2 games in hand.

So on to Charlton, Bournemouth’s massive next home clash against the team sailing away with the League One title. Charlton sunk the Cherries in the first game of the season 3-0 back in August and have not lost in their last nine, picking up 6 wins along the way. The Addicks smashed a now bottom Chesterfield 4-0 mid-week, and will smell blood when they visit a wobbly Bournemouth on Saturday. Without a league win against Charlton since 1975, not much is to be expected from that game in all truth, but it is the fixtures that follow that hold so much importance.

After Charlton, AFCB face Sheffield Wednesday, Carlise, and Brentford, games they realistically have to win at least 2 of to maintain a fighting chance. If they can pick up 7 points from these next 4 games, their promotion shout will be firmly back on, but heading into them with 3 straight losses is hardly the best preparation.

To add insult to injury, star man Marc Pugh looks set to be sitting out for the next 3 weeks with an ankle injury, and despite captain Adam Barrett looking close to a return, AFCB are seriously lacking in the goals department of late. With only 1 goal in the last 4 games, the front pairing of Wesley Thomas, who’s imperious form at the beginning of the season has dropped in recent weeks and new record signing striker Matt Tubbs, who is still settling in to the club, are finding it hard to spark a relationship so the goals of suffered.

Bradbury obviously remains optimistic towards AFC Bournemouth’s chances of a playoff spot, and cites the next 4 games as a make or break period of their campaign. We will know a little bit more about their chances come 5:00pm Saturday evening, and an whole lot more about the character of AFC Bournemouth as a club.