MARK Hughes congratulated Eddie Howe for keeping Cherries in the Premier League – and then advised him to tread carefully should one of the big guns come calling.

Hughes saw Stoke City secure a 10th successive season in the top flight following their 2-2 draw against Cherries at Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

The former Wales national team manager has presided over three consecutive ninth-place finishes since taking charge of the Potters in May 2013.

He was lured to big-spending Manchester City in June 2008 having enjoyed a fruitful four-year spell at Blackburn where he guided them to a hat-trick of top-10 finishes in the Premier League.

Hughes also took Rovers to three successive domestic cup semi-finals and brought European football to the Lancashire outfit during his stay at Ewood Park.

He replaced former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson at Manchester City but was sacked following an indifferent 18-month period in the hot-seat.

Hughes, who went on to help QPR preserve their Premier League status in 2012, was asked by the Daily Echo whether he felt Howe following a similar path to him should be the Cherries boss’s next move.

He said: “It is difficult to say. It is about opportunities presenting themselves and you have to make the right step at the right time.

“Sometimes, you can take a step that you think is correct at the time but it is not always what it says on the tin so you have to be a bit careful.”

Hughes, who was awarded an OBE in 2004, has never finished outside of the top 10 in the Premier League in eight full seasons in management.

Asked how he would put into perspective Howe’s achievements with Cherries, the Welshman replied: “They have done very well.

“It is difficult coming into this league. Next season will be our 10th in succession so we know how difficult it is to stay in this league and you should never take it for granted.

“Let’s not forget he has spent a few quid by the way!

“But you have to do that to be able to stay in this league. If you don’t then you go down. But you still have to manage your resources correctly and, clearly, he has done that.”

Hughes added: “They know what it takes to win games. When they were in the Championship, they had a way of playing and it got them out of that league so they understand how to win games.

“It is clearly more difficult in the Premier League. When they beat us at home, if I’m honest, they were quite cynical in terms of time keeping and slowing things down so they are obviously quite adept at managing games and getting results. I wouldn’t ever class them as naïve, let’s put it that way.”