Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Joe's exit a sad day for club says Eddie
CHAIRMAN Eddie Mitchell admitted Joe Roach's departure marked a sad day for Cherries and insisted he had been keen to keep the popular youth coach.[LNB] Mitchell yesterday confirmed rumours that the influential under-18s boss had left Dean Court after 10 years at the Dorset club.[LNB] While Mitchell declined to go into detail about the reasons for Roach's exit, he stressed: He certainly wasn't sacked.[LNB] Cherries supporters wasted no time in voicing their anger at the news yesterday, with a number expressing disappointment via message boards, the Daily Echo's comments section and Twitter.[LNB] Roach, who had helped oversee the emergence of players such as Sam Vokes, Brett Pitman and Josh McQuoid, had become a fans' favourite after his youth-team products netted the club well in excess of £1million in transfer fees.[LNB] Speaking to the Daily Echo, Mitchell insisted he had no gripes with Roach and paid tribute to his work.[LNB] He said: I think Joe was a very valuable member of staff for the period of time I have been here. We had no wish or desire to lose Joe. He will be missed.[LNB] He was a longstanding member of staff and it is a sad day for us all, but that is the situation.[LNB] When asked what he would say to angry supporters who felt the development would have a damaging effect on the club, Mitchell said: Joe is his own man. If Joe decides to leave, that is up to him. The fans can't be angry, they should wish him well wherever he goes.[LNB] Looking to the future, he added: I think we have got to try to adjust the staffing we have got and maybe bring in somebody else to help moves things along.[LNB] But we haven't got anybody else, at this moment in time, to replace Joe.[LNB] The Daily Echo was unable to contact Roach for comment.[LNB]
