Howe steps down as Bournemouth manager after relegation
London: Eddie Howe has left his job as Bournemouth manager, days after the club were relegated from the Premier League to the English Championship.The 42-year-old, who has managed the Cherries in more than 450 games across two spells at Vitality Stadium spanning more than a decade, made the decision together with club officials on Saturday, the club said in a statement.”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,” Howe said in an open letter to supporters as put on the club’s official website, afcb.co.uk.”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.”(IANS)
Smith slams CSA agendas
Johannesburg: Former captain and Cricket South Africa director of cricket (DOC) Graeme Smith has said that there were “internal agendas” at play within the organisation, which have become a “cancer”. Smith hinted that actions of a few people at senior positions have brought disrepute to the organisation and said media “leaks” have contributed to the current internal problems. “I think it’s been a cancer from within the organisation for a while and it’s not getting any better,” he was quoted as saying by a ‘news24.com’ report. “You try and work out who in senior positions in this organisation is doing this, and why? What is the end goal? Is it serving cricket? It’s quite clearly someone in a high-profile position, whether it is in the business part or the board part, because some of the stuff being leaked can only be from those parties within the organisation,” he said. The former opening batsman joined as DOC in December last year following the suspension of CEO Thabang Moroe and has since signed a two-year deal with the option of extending for a third term. The 39-year-old Smith, who scored 9265 runs from 117 Tests between 2002 and 2014, said he “certainly does feel that there are people within these positions who have ulterior motives.” The report also quoted CSA president Chris Nenzani as saying that “he was aware of certain individuals leaking information to the media” and “this has been a problem. (PTI)