Eddie Howe has stepped down as the Bournemouth manager following talks with Bournemouth officials over the weekend after the club was relegated from Premier League.
His decision to leave the club came when all efforts to keep the club in the Premiere League failed. Not even the 3-1 victory at Everton could save the Cherrie from relegation.
Howe, 45, who had 300 appearances as a player for Bournemouth, left the club after about 450 games across two spells at the Vitality Stadium.
He took over as the manager of the club in 2008 when he was just 31 years old on a caretaker basis at a time when the club was bottom of League Two and was on 17-points, enough to dodge relegation out of the Football League. Howe helped the club up to League One.
The following campaign, he achieved promotion before joining Burnley in 2011. Returning in 2012, he helped the club achieve two more promotions, changing the image of the club as they played in the Premiere League in 2015 for the first time in the history of the club.
In an open letter to the fan on the club website, Howe said, “Having spent a total of 25 years with the club as both a player and a manager this decision – made together with the club – is one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make.
“However, although the affection and love I have for this football club will always remain, we collectively feel that now is the right time for the club to go in a new direction.
“Bournemouth will always be in my heart, but I firmly believe that now is the right time for the club to have a change.
“I have always ensured that every decision I have ever made as manager has been in the best interests of the club and its supporters, and this is no different.”
Speaking about Howe’s commitment and contributions to the club, the club Chief Executive Neill Blake said, “Eddie Howe is synonymous with this football club, both as a player and a manager, and that will never change.
“He is quite simply an AFC Bournemouth legend, having helped transform the identity and history of the club.
“Myself, our owner Maxim Demin and the board’s gratitude and appreciation for Eddie’s achievements cannot and will never be underestimated.
“A decision like this cannot be taken lightly, which is why this has been discussed together at length over the past few days. It is even harder given our close personal friendship.
“We wish Eddie well for whatever the future holds and hope he enjoys some much-deserved and well-earned time with his family.”
