, Woodgate’s at the wheel, and he deserves a new Bournemouth deal: Comment

Woodgate’s at the wheel, and he deserves a new Bournemouth deal: Comment

Bournemouth picked up another impressive three points away at newly-promoted Norwich City – six wins on the bounce for Jonathan Woodgate’s side.

Bournemouth have been quite quiet in their bid for promotion into the Premier League this season. Jason Tindall’s side that started the season looked good for a top two charge until it all fell apart, with Woodgate taking the reigns in February and gradually reinstating those promotion hopes.

The Cherries were 6th when he came in. Woodgate, after coming in as a first-team coach then replacing Tindall in the interim, would lose his first game in charge v Cardiff City. His side have lost just one in ten Championship outings since then, scoring an impressive 17 goals in these last six winning outings.

Now with a seven-point cushion in the top-six, fans are quickly turning their attention to the next season and on the whole, they’re in favour of Woodgate being in charge in time for that.

The Middlesbrough School of Hard Knocks

, Woodgate’s at the wheel, and he deserves a new Bournemouth deal: Comment

It’s strange looking at how Middlesbrough fans were rating Woodgate’s performance in charge of them last season, to now see him guiding his new Bournemouth side up the Championship table.

Woodgate was a widely unpopular choice to take charge after Tindall, even if it was on an interim basis. But with a new side and a fresh opportunity, he looks a completely different manager – cracks still remain in some aspects of his game (mainly some questionable substitutions which seemed absent last night) but Woodgate has so far shown the professionalism, and experience of a manager well beyond his coaching years.

Landing the job in the manner that he did could’ve see this second half of the season tail off amid the uncertainty and apparent lack of consideration for any other managers. But Woodgate has shown in his interviews and in his side’s performances that he relishes that almost underdog title, and he revels in having players who can play in that same calm, but cutting way.

Dan the Man

, Woodgate’s at the wheel, and he deserves a new Bournemouth deal: Comment

The flying Dutchman perhaps sums up Woodgate’s Bournemouth stint – his name very rarely crops up in general Championship chatter, but Danjuma now has 14 goals in the league to his name, with eight of those coming in his last 11.

He’s the kind of fast-paced and prolific player that Woodgate lacked in abundance at Middlesbrough, but on the South Coast it’s a different story. David Brooks and Dominic Solanke remain key players, Jefferson Lerma is a firm favourite of Woodgate’s and Philip Billing is having joy in that no.10 role, with four goals in his last seven.

With a promotion bid now very much in the making, the future of Woodgate is quickly becoming a pressing issue.

Woodgate’s at the wheel – but for how long?

, Woodgate’s at the wheel, and he deserves a new Bournemouth deal: Comment

His deal only last until the end of this season. But given how he’s got this Bournemouth side performing, it’d be almost criminal if he wasn’t handed the job for at least another season, if not more.

Nigel Pearson at Bristol City might be a good case study – he was handed the job until the end of the season whilst many expected a longer term deal to be more ideal, and that indecision about the long-term has seen them tail off.

Woodgate certainly deserves another year, but perhaps a two or three-year deal might be a more sustainable option. With Gary O’Neill and Joe Jordan by his side as well, Bournemouth have coaching hierarchy who bring that blend of innovation and experience, and most importantly they’re winning games.

A lot to look forward to for Cherries fans in the coming weeks, and hopefully in the coming seasons.

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