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Jermaine Jenas: Brave Bournemouth are here to stay

In his latest exclusive Yahoo Sport column, Jermaine Jenas praises Eddie Howe's Dean Court revolution

Jermaine Jenas: Brave Bournemouth are here to stay

The transition from the lower leagues to the Premier League is one of the hardest to make. It's one thing scraping survival for one or two seasons, but what's even more difficult is establishing yourself as a top flight side long-term.

Swansea City were the benchmark for promoted clubs for many years, but in Bournemouth we may have found a team that can match their success.

The main thing these two clubs have in common is a deeply entrenched philosophy of passing football that many other clubs, particular so-called "smaller" ones, would see as a gamble.

It's an approach that takes bravery, and in Eddie Howe the Cherries have a manager who has the courage to stay true to his beliefs about how football should be played.

There are plenty of promoted clubs who face the accusation of being "yo-yo clubs", even if they sometimes stay up. Teams such as Norwich, Wolves and QPR have been unable to establish themselves in recent years, while Burnley and Hull City will spend another season trying to cling on to their top-light status. This ongoing battle is one they accept - relish, even.

But Bournemouth, despite being in that "difficult second season" and their stuttering start to this campaign, look even stronger this year than they did last.

The most striking thing is that they've achieved this using many of the same players that got them promoted in 2015. The back four in the 0-0 draw against Tottenham on Saturday was Adam Smith, Steve Cook, Simon Francis and Charlie Daniels - players with no previous Premier League experience until last year.

I've been especially impressed with the full-backs, Smith and Daniels, who were at Spurs as kids when I was there. At the time I'd say they were decent, rather than exceptional, prospects. But looking at them now, I'd say they are both exceptional full-backs.

With more teams playing three at the back I think there will be an increased demand for players like Daniels and Smith, who can play in either a back four or as wing-backs. They're equally happy defending and attacking.

Unappreciated talent in the lower leagues

The fact these players have adapted so well to the top flight might surprise some people, but many underestimate how tough the lower leagues are, and how little you get to show what you're good at as a player.

Any manager down there who asks his team to go out and play football has to be extremely brave, and most of them end up playing percentage football to minimise risk. It's all hustle and bustle, and that means a lot of talent goes unnoticed.

To give you an example, when I broke into the Nottingham Forest team as a youngster I found it very difficult. But I didn't realise how hard it was until I left and went to Newcastle. It was a higher level, but it was so much easier. I was playing with players who were a lot more advanced and they made it easier for me.

Jack Wilshere has been a great signing for Bournemouth
Jack Wilshere has been a great signing for Bournemouth

After Forest played Newcastle a few months later in a friendly as part of the deal that took me to Tyneside, the Forest manager Paul Hart said to me, "Why are you making all those forward runs? You never did that for me!"

I told him it was because, quite simply, I knew I was going to get the ball. If Nobby Solano had the ball, I could run forward and know it would end up landing on my toe.

But in the Championship, players might be on a different wavelength. When you see a pass, your team-mate might not make the run. When you're in space, the ball might not reach you quickly enough.

The reason these Bournemouth players are flourishing now is because they've obviously always had that genuine quality. But they may have never got this opportunity to prove themselves if it hadn't been for Howe.

Equally, Howe has put his own career on the line. We wouldn't be talking about him as a future England manager if, for whatever reason, he hadn't managed to get Bournemouth promoted. It didn't work out for him at Burnley, for example.

Charlie Daniels has adapted brilliantly to life in the top flight
Charlie Daniels has adapted brilliantly to life in the top flight

But he had a masterplan. This was a team that was adapting to the Premier League before they even came up. I remember speaking to my friend (former Forest forward) Dexter Blackstock a couple of years ago, and when I asked who his next game was against, he said, "We're going to the Nou Camp." He meant Bournemouth!

That's the philosophy Howe had already instilled. He was building something special that has stood the Cherries in good stead, and that's what makes them look like a team that can stay in the Premier League for a number of years.

Last season was about survival, but getting through that has increased their confidence and they are now a better side.

Arter the key man

There was a danger Bournemouth could have struggled this season, but that's when the top managers prove their value. Howe has not allowed them to rest on their laurels.

Signing Jack Wilshere was a great move, not just because he is a top player but also because it signals to the rest of the players that the club is going places.

Howe has been playing Wilshere in the hole and I think that's a role that suits him perfectly. Against Spurs he played his first 90 minutes for a long time, and we will see him shine more as his match fitness - and therefore his sharpness - improves.

Harry Arter is Bournemouth's key man
Harry Arter is Bournemouth's key man

But the man who really stands out for me in Bournemouth's midfield is Harry Arter. He never gets overawed and he is always willing to take responsibility in every area of the pitch.

If Howe if the epitome of a brave manager, then Arter is the quintessential brave player. People think bravery is throwing your body in front of a hard shot, and it is.

But as a midfielder, bravery is losing the ball one moment and then still demanding it in the next, even if you're being pressed high up the pitch. Arter always wants the ball in tight areas and to create things, and that shows courage too.

It's this desire to keep playing football the right way that embodies what Howe has created on the south coast. But it's not just about bravery. The Cherries have shown that when it's done right, their playing style is also highly effective.