LOAN star Lee Barnard insists Cherries’ players are focused solely on their tasks following a tumultuous week for the club.

Cherries visit Coventry City tomorrow just days after management duo Paul Groves and Shaun Brooks were relieved of their duties.

Groves headed for the exit after Cherries’ poor start to the season had taken another turn for the worse with a 3-1 defeat at Crawley on Tuesday.

Southampton striker Barnard, on loan with Cherries until January, told the club website: “With Paul and Shaun going, it has been a bit strange, but that is the nature of football and these things happen.

“I owe them a lot because they brought me to the club and I wish them the best, but we have another game on Saturday and we need to concentrate on that.

“It is a big game. Coventry is a big club and should probably be in a higher division. They have had a slow start but they have picked up and it will be a tough game for us. But we are focused and we know what we have to do.”

Cherries will be forced to make at least one change from the loss at Crawley as striker Frank Demouge suffered concussion in the early stages at Broadfield Stadium.

Meanwhile, Steve Cotterill, Eddie Howe and Gary Johnson this morning remain the bookmakers’ favourites for the Cherries vacancy.