Cherries: Fletcher delighted to tie Mathieu to new deal

10 June 2011 07:00
ASSISTANT boss Steve Fletcher finalised negotiations on Mathieu Baudry's new deal and then backed the Frenchman to shine in the English game.[LNB] The defender yesterday handed Cherries a boost by signing a new one-year contract, with the club holding an option for a further season.[LNB] Baudry, who was restricted to just four appearances after joining Cherries for the final four months of last term, will now be tasked with trying to force his way into Lee Bradbury's first-choice line-up.[LNB] The Le Havre academy product demonstrated his versatility with a match-winning midfield cameo against Bristol Rovers in April.[LNB] And Fletcher revealed Baudry had impressed everyone at Dean Court with his attitude and application.[LNB] The Cherries legend told the Echo: He has a great work ethic. For someone who wasn't in the team regularly, he showed us everything we would hope for in a player.[LNB] He was the last one off the training field and he went to the gym in the afternoons when other people weren't there.[LNB] Even in games when he hadn't played, Mathieu was on the pitch afterwards going through his routine and having a good work-out. If you went for a cool down at 5.10pm, Mathieu would be out there doing his own stuff, off his own back. You can't instil that in a player.[LNB] He is very much like Jason Pearce in that respect. He is very single-minded, knows what he wants and knows what he has to do to get it. That is probably one of the big reasons we want him at this club, as well as his ability to play football.[LNB] People like Mathieu rub off on people. They see what he is doing and it has a positive effect.[LNB] I have only ever heard fantastic comments about him around the stadium, from the chairman, who loves the way Mathieu is, to the chief executive, directors and supporters.[LNB] The attitude he has will take him a long way in football.[LNB] Fletcher added: Next season will be a big season for him.[LNB] Everyone is on a level playing field when we come back for pre-season and Mathieu knows if he comes in and does the business, he will be part of the first 11.[LNB] He has got the attributes and he has got enough. He needs a few pre-season games to get used to English football again. Training with the rest of the squad day in, day out is good, but you need games.[LNB] When he came to us he hadn't played for six weeks and we couldn't get in a reserve game because of the weather conditions. It was about two-and-a-half months before he got a competitive game, which was a reserve match. It was no good for him or for us.[LNB] But he has got massive potential.[LNB]

Source: Bournemouth_Echo