Thursday 21 April 2016 12:06, UK
Charlie Daniels says it is essential Bournemouth hang onto manager Eddie Howe in order to keep progressing as a club.
Howe has guided the Cherries past the 40-point mark in their debut campaign in the top-flight and, with only four matches remaining, are almost certain to be playing Premier League football next season.
When asked what the club would need to do to keep on progressing, Daniels told Sky Sports Now: "We need to keep Eddie Howe at the club. He is at the forefront of what this club is about.
"His philosophies and everything that goes with it is based around the family club that we have and the team spirit that we have in the team.
"And if we can stick with him and bring people in that work with our philosophies and have the same confidence and personality already in the squad, there's no reason why we can't progress."
He added: "Two years before I signed, the club were close to going bust. They were completely gone and it was only through the fans and a couple of local people that actually put their hands in their pockets and actually gave money to the tax man that kept the club going.
Does Eddie Howe deserve more credit for the job he has done at Bournemouth?
"Thankfully we've grown from then and the fans have grown with us. The strides we have made each season is really for them.
"The way the club is growing on and off the pitch, the new stadium, a new stand is going to be built come the end of the season, we've got a new training ground and hopefully, if we can keep things going and progressing in the Premier League, we can make it into a big club."
Left-back Daniels, who joined Bournemouth from Leyton Orient in 2011, has enjoyed a fine debut season in the Premier League, leading to speculation he could receive an England call-up ahead of this summer's European Championships in France.
But Daniels, who is preparing to get married in the summer, says his focus was always on Bournemouth.
"It was just nice to be linked with England and to be talked about," the 28-year-old said. "There was a few things in the papers and little things like that.
"But for me, it was about fully concentrating on playing for Bournemouth and picking up points because we were on a good run and were close to breaking that 40-point barrier."
