AFC Bournemouth latest news: Kilkenny and Alan Shearer on Scott Parker, Lewis Cook latest and rankings rise | OneFootball

Bournemouth are a side desperate to return back to the Premier League this year and so far this year, they’re going the right way about it, sitting top of the pile with 14 games gone. Even more impressive, is the fact that the Cherries have yet to lose a single league game.

Scott Parker’s side have looked mightily impressive and, right now, there is plenty of buzz around the club – and plenty of ongoings both on and off the field.

Gavin Kilkenny praises Scott Parker and his honesty

First of all, Gavin Kilkenny has been the latest Bournemouth player to come out and praise the work of his current boss, telling the Bournemouth Echo how the former player has been ‘honest’ with him and told him how he needed to ‘work hard and be ready to come back in’ to the starting eleven when he was needed.

The 21-year-old has flitted in and out of the side but has recently become an important part of their midfield again, featuring in the Cherries’ 3-0 win over Huddersfield last weekend and then in their 1-0 away win at Stoke too.

The player has now come out and told the Bournemouth Echo how his manager was able to have a chat with the midfielder and get him working hard and back into the starting fold. It’s worked wonders, as the youngster has looked solid in the heart of a hugely impressive Bournemouth team.

Quiz: Did these 25 AFC Bournemouth transfers actually happen?

Update on the fitness of Lewis Cook

Lewis Cook has been out of action for Bournemouth since the last campaign and he’s had to work hard to get himself back to full health and fitness with the second tier side.

The midfielder is yet another asset that the Cherries have in their arsenal but they have been unable to utilise him so far this campaign. However, the club’s official website reported that the Englishman managed to complete 90 minutes of gametime in a friendly development game against Wycombe – and that’s a huge step forward in the recovery process for him.

He could soon be available for first-team selection for Scott Parker in the Championship – as could Emiliano Marcondes, who also completed the full game against Wycombe.

Alan Shearer believes Scott Parker will do well at Cherries

The former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers hero Alan Shearer has spoken out about the success of Scott Parker too and told the Bournemouth Echo that he feels Parker will do ‘really, really well’ in leading the side forward (and potentially up and into the Premier League again).

The two played together before they both hung up their boots and the striker has been yet another face in football to compliment Parker for the work he has done in the Championship with his team so far.

With an unbeaten start to his name and the side looking genuine contenders for an automatic promotion this season, Shearer has now been the latest to admire the work done by the boss – and if he can keep it up, he will draw in many more admirers before the season is out.

A final note is that FiveThirtyEight have updated their ‘Global Club Soccer Rankings’ and placed Bournemouth at 103rd in the table (as reported by DorsetLive).

Not only are they now above the likes of Norwich, who are currently gracing the top tier of English football, but some big name European outfits.

Although it doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, it shows just how impressive the work currently being done at the Cherries is.