AFC Bournemouth midfielder and vice-captain Andrew Surman believes that the Cherries must improve upon their fitness levels ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Since promotion to the top flight of English football, the Cherries have often been commended for their levels of fitness.
The statistics, often quoted by the media in the Premier League, have shown that the Cherries rank very highly in running stats and distances covered in games.
Last season late goals were also a sign that AFC Bournemouth finished games strongly and that brought with it a good points haul which saw the Cherries finish in a comfortable 12th position.
But the bar is always being raised and so AFC Bournemouth have to continue to strive to improve in that area.
Surman told the Daily Echo…
“…With the Premier League, the fitness levels are going up every year. You have to be sharper, quicker and stronger. You have to be able to run farther.
“That’s no different this season, it’s going be even tougher, so we have to try to keep in with that. The way pre-season has started so far, we have definitely worked hard. It’s been tough but you expect it now.”
The 31-year-old signed a new contract which will run till the end of the 2019/20 campaign recently.
This was despite Surman dropping down the pecking order behind England international Lewis Cook and Dan Gosling, after initially starting the season as the first choice alongside Harry Arter.
On signing his new contract Surman added…
“I am really pleased to sign the contract and hopefully I can get my head down and have another good season.
“It’s nice to feel valued and I think any player will tell you to be valued by a manager and a club is massively important.
“I am grateful to have a new contract, I worked hard for it but there is still a lot of work to do.”
Your say…
red_house wrote…
I’m struggling slightly here a bit like I struggled with Franno. I know they are jolly old boys who are great for the club blah blah blah but they are both now contracted for the next two years and they aren’t the future of this club.
Someone will be along and explain it is a good thing. Yet Eddie states we are having difficulty getting in new talent, so why doesn’t he just up the price in his search instead of extending our bloated wage bill on the old guard. – Join the conversation, click here
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