Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FUNNY HOW INGS TURNED OUT
The ex-cherry who could now send down the team and manager who gave him his chance
THE injury-hit kid that Eddie Howe took a chance on a decade ago could be the man who comes back to haunt him tomorrow. Danny Ings was a 17-year-old trainee at Bournemouth, rejected by Southampton as a 10-year-old, when rookie manager Howe took the chance of giving him a three-month professional contract in the summer of 2010, even though the youngster from Winchester had suffered a long-term stomach injury. The little striker repaid that faith as he scored seven goals in 27 games and Howe then took Ings to Burnley with him in 2011, paying £1million.
Ings prospered at Turf Moor, went to Liverpool where his career was dogged by injury, and then arrived back on the south coast at Southampton last year. And now Ings, 27, with his career back on track and, in fact, on fire again, with 20 goals this season under his belt already, is back at the Vitality Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
It is a game the Cherries have to win if they are to save themselves from relegation after five years in the Premier League. Lose and the great adventure is almost certainly over, especially with such a poor goal difference. Win and they can take the fight into the final day and a visit to Everton.
But in the way stands the kid Howe took a chance on, the England player who scored against Brighton on Thursday night to make it five goals in his last seven games.
Howe (right) said: “Any player that comes through the system here, whether they go on to be a huge success or just have a career, we try and leave our imprint on them to make sure they leave better footballers and better people. “Danny’s a great example of what you can achieve. With everything he went through to make it as a footballer, it wasn’t a smooth journey.
“He needed great mental strength to overcome those hurdles. The thing that struck me was his desire and motivation. With Danny, it wasn’t just making it as a footballer. He wanted to get to the top. Wanted to be the very best. “He has reaped the benefits of that mindset. And he has the talent to back it up. “There was a decision to be made on his future. We gave him a short-term deal based on the little bits we had seen and we really liked. The rest is history.
“He’s someone I’ve kept in contact with. Me and Danny have a very good relationship. We know what he can do. But we will be prepared.”
The Cherries have picked up four points from their last three games to give them hope of survival. And Howe said: “We are going to give everything in our power to try and win. These next two games we have to get maximum points from – and hope that that is good enough.”
And Howe revealed he advised his players not to watch last night’s clash between relegation rivals West Ham and Watford. He added: “I encouraged the players not to watch but to focus on themselves, to get themselves in the best physical and mental condition for our game.”