Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Fletch's faith in current crop of players
ASSISTANT boss Steve Fletcher is desperate for Cherries to retain their prized assets and insists the current crop would have a major chance of succeeding in League One next term.[LNB] Cherries' against-the-odds run to the third tier play-offs thrust the club's players under the spotlight.[LNB] Fletcher revealed a number of scouts from rival clubs had attended Cherries matches to run the rule over the highly rated Dean Court squad.[LNB] But despite the possibility of interest in the club's leading lights, veteran striker Fletcher has set his sights on keeping hold of Cherries' top names.[LNB] He hopes the players will want to stay in Dorset following this season's promotion push, which ended in a penalty shootout defeat at Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.[LNB] Fletcher, who yesterday joined manager Lee Bradbury in meetings with members of the club's squad prior to the summer break, insists they can achieve if they remain together.[LNB] He told the Echo: The down side of having such a good team is that it brings people to watch them.[LNB] We have so many scouts at games but we can't help that. All we can do is try to hold on to what we have got.[LNB] Asked how he felt Cherries could do if the squad remained intact for the 2011-12 campaign, Fletcher said: We can be right up there again.[LNB] If we can hold this team together, we have got a massive chance. We showed on Wednes-day what we were all about.[LNB] Anyone watching the game must have thought wow, what a fantastic advertisement for League One football'.[LNB] We get it down and play and try to do it the right way. I thought we were absolutely outstanding.[LNB] Fletcher added: When you are part of the management, you just hope and pray that the players want to be here. There is no reason why not.[LNB] We have a fantastic team spirit and I think that is something we all agree on.[LNB] From me to Warren Cummings to Bradders, all the experienced boys have said they have never experienced a team spirit like it.[LNB] I don't want to lose that.[LNB] Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell has already declared his desire to retain the squad.[LNB] He said: There isn't one player we want to lose. We've got a great squad, it has got us this far and we want to keep it together.[LNB]
