Howe: Tubbs needs to be ready for his chance

AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has told striker Matt Tubbs to be ready to take his opportunity when it comes.

The Cherries record signing has had limited opportunities since making the £800,000 move from Crawley Town to Dean Court 13 months ago.

During that time he's made just eight League One starts, with just one league start coming since Eddie Howe returned to the club in October.

He's previously been behind loanee Lee Barnard and wantaway striker Wesley Thomas in the pecking order and has also been restricted by the form of both Lewis Grabban and Brett Pitman.

Grabban and Pitman have scored a total of 21 goals since Howe's return to the south coast and both have a firm grip on their starting eleven places.

But Howe has told Tubbs to be ready to take his chance when it comes along.

Howe told the Daily Echo...

"Matt is a very good player. From a personal point of view, he has been unfortunate that Lewis and Brett have performed so well. We are the leading scorers in the division so, from our perspective, we haven`t wanted to change too much...'

"...I would have no qualms about playing Matt. I know he will score goals because his career record shows that. He has displayed a really good attitude to not being in the side. He has shown support for his team-mates and, whenever, he has come on, he has always looked like scoring.

"Matt may well have a big part to play in our run-in and could be the man we look to in the closing few games. He needs to keep himself in the best physical shape to take the chance when it comes and I know he will."

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