Bournemouth have sacked manager Scott Parker just days before they are due to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder guided the Cherries back to the top flight last season, pipping the Reds to a second-placed finish in the Championship. But they have shipped 16 goals in just four games this term, scoring twice.
Parker's last game in charge was a humiliating 9-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, a joint-record scoreline in the Premier League. The result leaves them one place above the drop zone on three points.
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However, Bournemouth's statement announcing the head coach's departure does not mention their on-pitch struggles. Instead, co-owner Maxim Demin stressed the importance of having "belief in and respect for one another", but did not specify any reasons for the dismissal beyond that.
Parker has been critical of the club's recruitment policy during the summer, and said after the Anfield defeat that his squad was still short of players.
“I would like to place on record my gratitude to Scott and his team for their efforts during their time with us," the statement read. "Our promotion back to the Premier League last season under his tenure will always be remembered as one of the most successful seasons in our history.
“However, in order for us to keep progressing as a team and a club as a whole, it is unconditional that we are aligned in our strategy to run the club sustainably. We must also show belief in and respect for one another. That is the approach that has brought this club so much success in recent history, and one that we will not veer from now. Our search for a new head coach will begin immediately.”
First team coach Gary O’Neil will take interim charge of the Cherries against Steve Cooper’s side and will be assisted by Shaun Cooper and former Aston Villa captain Tommy Elphick in the dugout. The game kicks off at 3pm this Saturday at the City Ground.
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