Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Alexander denies finance slur
MACCLESFIELD boss Keith Alexander has vehemently denied becoming the latest manager to publicly criticise Cherries over their finances.[LNB] Alexander claims he didn't know anything about pre-match comments which were attributed to him regarding the Dorset club's financial position.[LNB] In an interview published last week, Alexander had been quoted as saying Cherries were living above their means.[LNB] The story came just weeks after Rochdale's Keith Hill and Accrington Stanley's John Coleman had both made comments about Cherries' off-field affairs.[LNB] However, following Macclesfield's 2-1 defeat by Cherries at Moss Rose yesterday, Alexander was keen to distance himself from the comments.[LNB] He told the Daily Echo: There have been one or two comments attributed to me which I don't know anything about.[LNB] Asked by the Echo which comments he was referring to, Alexander replied: About Bournemouth's wage bill and this, that and the other. I haven't got a clue what their wage bill is and I certainly wouldn't discuss it with my players or my board and it's nowt to do with me.[LNB] It's not my concern what Bournemouth do or don't do. I couldn't give a t*** about Bournemouth or any other team for that matter.[LNB] They've got some good players. They are a better team than us, end of story. We were beaten by a good team and I don't mind losing to good teams. I don't ever want to lose but I thought they were a good team.[LNB] Earlier in his post-match interview, a local radio reporter had asked Alexander whether he felt the quality in the Bournemouth side had all been fairly paid for. He replied: I can't comment on that, can I.[LNB] It was then put to Alexander that he had said a bit to a local newspaper ahead of the game, to which he replied: What I said was that some teams find themselves in a position that they can't quite afford and that's obvious. You've only got to look at their players, the likes of Steve Fletcher (and others). They're not playing for nothing and I'm sure they wouldn't come here for £400 a week. But again, that is down to them. I can only concentrate on the lads I've got.[LNB] When asked by the Daily Echo whether he wished to comment on the situation, Cherries boss Eddie Howe said: Keith came to see me before the game and said he hadn't made any comments about us.[LNB] He said he didn't feel he had any right to comment on what we do as a football club so I accepted that. I think he's a very honourable man and I have no problems with him whatsoever.[LNB] Cherries came from behind to beat Macclesfield thanks to goals either side of half-time from Brett Pitman who had earlier missed a seventh-minute penalty.[LNB]
