FORMER Cherries star Ryan Garry believes Eddie Howe could one day guide the Dorset club into the Premier League’s top six.

Garry spent four years with Cherries from 2007-11, much of which coincided with Howe’s first spell in charge after he took over from Jimmy Quinn.

The centre-back was plagued with injuries throughout his career and was forced to retire aged just 27.

But he did make 86 appearances for the south coast side, featuring heavily in the ‘Greatest Escape’ season of 2008-09 and the following campaign which ended with promotion to League One.

The former Arsenal man then moved into a coaching role with Cherries before eventually returning to his roots and is now working with the Gunners’ under-23s.

As Cherries gear up for their fifth consecutive season in the top flight, Garry feels the club are progressing under Howe every year.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Garry said: “I played the majority of my professional games under Eddie and thoroughly enjoyed working under him and Jason (Tindall).

“What you have in Eddie is clearly a very good manager, who has got a clear philosophy and way of playing.

“The journey that he’s taken the club on is fantastic.

“I think that it’s no mean feat to be able to stay in the Premier League when 10 years ago you were in League Two. There’s many clubs that have been relegated.

“I think to sustain five years in the Premier League and try to build on that is fantastic.

“I’m sure that it can be done, I really do believe that.

“There are a lot of people that maybe think it’s easy to stay in the Premier League. I think it’s very, very difficult.

“I think the Premier League is the best league in the world. Obviously there’s the financial side of things, there’s a lot of money and you’re able to recruit worldwide.

“There’s only 20 teams and the fact of the matter is the club this year were not in a relegation battle.

“There were some big clubs that were involved in a relegation battle and I think each year things have progressed on, which is a huge achievement.

“I think everyone needs to be respectful of that.”

Having seen Cherries stabilise in the Premier League alongside some of the biggest clubs in world football, Garry believes there is no ceiling as to what Howe eventually could bring to Vitality Stadium.

The Hornchurch-born defender added: “In terms of a limit, I don’t think Bournemouth have limits.

“That’s what I would say. I think it’s dangerous sometimes to try and cap where a club can potentially go.

“Bournemouth, why can’t they be challenging potentially in the future for a top-six place? I don’t think you can say never with Bournemouth because the journey shows that, with the right people and the right team ethic and togetherness, anything is possible.”

Going into coaching is a well-trodden path for many of Cherries’ 2008-09 squad.

While Garry, 35, is no longer in Dorset, the likes of Mark Molesley, Alan Connell and Shaun Cooper are among a host of players working in the set-up at Cherries.

And the former centre-back, who returned for the club’s Minus 17 documentary in April, believes the team spirit from 10 years ago is still prevalent in today’s squad.

Garry said: “When I unfortunately had to retire I was lucky I got given an opportunity to experience coaching.

“I’m really enjoying it. It’s the next best thing after playing.

“I had been back (to Bournemouth) in the summer of 2016 with my family for a weekend.

“But in terms of going back to the stadium and then managing to see a lot of people, April was the first time I’d been back since leaving (in 2012).

“I spoke to Eddie and Jason. It was great to see them and then speaking to Joe Roach, who I’d seen with Alan and Shaun Cooper as well when Arsenal and Bournemouth played each other at under-18 or under-23 level.

“It was good to see them and a lot of the ex-players involved with the coaching is great because I think that they’re able to carry on that team mentality that we had when we played, which is ultimately a huge factor in us staying up (in 2009).

“Knowing Eddie and Jason, that’s probably what they’ve looked to maintain on the ascent into the Premier League.”