Bournemouth have asked Montréal for permission to speak to Thierry Henry about succeeding Jason Tindall as their permanent manager.
As reported earlier in the week, the Cherries are keen to pursue a deal to bring Henry from the MLS to the Championship despite interim manager Jonathan Woodgate’s unbeaten run since taking temporary charge.
Henry, who is understood to be open to the role, has previously managed Monaco and been on Roberto Martínez’s coaching staff with Belgium. The 43-year-old signed a two-year contract with Montréal in November 2019 but this has not put Bournemouth off wanting to speak to the former France international.
Tindall was sacked after six months following four straight defeats and Bournemouth have since been narrowing their shortlist, with David Wagner and Patrick Vieira also linked with the vacancy.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth have joined fellow Championship side Brentford in deciding to no longer take the knee before games. The pre-match gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has been a constant part of football since games resumed in June after the first coronavirus lockdown.
Racist abuse of footballers has been widespread in recent weeks, but the Bournemouth squad feel the gesture has “run its course” and is no longer having the effect that it originally did.
A statement from Bournemouth captain Steve Cook said: “Following discussions between the squad and with senior staff members, we have decided to no longer take the knee before games, starting this weekend against Queens Park Rangers.
“At all levels, this club prides itself on its work around equality, diversity and inclusion and as a group of players we fully embrace this. We all strive to ensure that AFC Bournemouth is a club which welcomes anyone, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or religion. Fighting all forms of discrimination and creating an equal, inclusive society is something that we feel very passionately about.
“But that is defined by much more than a gesture, which we feel has run its course and is no longer having the effect it first did eight months ago.”
QPR had previously decided not to take the knee before their game against Coventry in September, with director of football Les Ferdinand responding to criticism of that move by suggesting: “The taking of the knee has reached a point of ‘good PR’ but little more than that. The message has been lost.”
Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha described kneeling before games as “degrading” and said he did not want to speak about racism “unless action is going to happen”.
