Fearing the sack is not an option, says Bournemouth's Howe

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe isn’t worried about being sacked, he’s instead focussing his energies on ensuring his team stays in the Premier League.

“Fearing the sack is not helpful and productive in any way,” say Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, the longest-serving current manager in the Premier League.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe says living in fear of the sack will not help his attempt to pull his side out of a rut that has it slipping towards relegation from the Premier League.

The south coast club's five-year tenure in the top flight is under threat after it managed only one point from its last seven games, seeing it drop down the ladder to the second from bottom spot. The side faces a tough task ahead as it faces Manchester United away on Saturday.

“Fearing the sack is not helpful and productive in any way,” Howe, the longest-serving current manager in the top flight, told a news conference on Friday.

“What am I going to do? Sit at home and worry about my future? No. I am going to try and make the team play better and try to focus all my energies on what we deliver on the training ground, how I speak to my players,” he said.

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Things reached a low point on Wednesday when Bournemouth was thrashed 4-1 at home to Newcastle United , although all is not lost as it remains only one point below 17th-placed Watford and three points behind West Ham United.

Howe said he will try and revive the underdog spirit that has seen Bournemouth establish itself in the top flight since he got the club promoted in 2015.

“A lot of people are certainly welcome to their opinion and a lot of outsiders, probably a huge percentage of people, will say we're done, we're finished,” Howe said.

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“But historically at this club, that's always been the way in many different aspects. We have been written off and we've managed to overcome that mindset and against the odds we've come through and achieved great things.

“We're going to have to call on all of those resources now. One point in seven games is nowhere near what we need.”

Bournemouth also face strips to Manchester City and Everton as well as home clashes with Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and south coast rival Southampton.

“Although the six games we have are very difficult on paper, sometimes that can bring out the best in us,” Howe said.