BOSS Kevin Bond has expressed his delight after backroom boys Rob Newman and Eddie Howe both committed their short-term futures to Cherries.

Assistant manager Newman and reserve team boss Howe have extended their respective stays at the club by penning new one-year contracts.

The pair have struck up a firm friendship during their time together at Dean Court and have also forged a strong management team with Bond under difficult circumstances.

Bond appointed 44-year-old Newman as his right-hand man in October 2006, while popular former Cherries defender Howe was promoted to the coaching staff two months later.

Both unsung heroes, they work tirelessly in the background with Cherries' acute financial position requiring them to undertake numerous extra tasks throughout the season.

Bond told the Daily Echo: "With the club being in administration, these are difficult times for everybody. Rob and Eddie offer different strengths and I need them both.

"They have both done a good job for me and will both develop. Eddie is relatively new to this side of the game but I'm sure he will carve out a career of his own in coaching and management.

"He's a very thorough and thoughtful lad. He was brought up for a long period of time under Sean O'Driscoll who is a student of the game. Eddie is very keen to develop his coaching abilities and is determined to become as good a coach as he can be. He is always reading books and watching videos to see how he can improve his knowledge.

"You can see him coming along and he is somebody I like to bounce ideas off during a game. He always comes up with good ideas about how to change things.

"Rob had already gained valuable experience in both coaching and management before he came here and is a fantastic guy to have around you. He has always got a smile on his face and lives up to his nickname of Charmer'. He gets on well with everybody and is an infectious personality.

"He is a tremendous judge of a player. He was a really good player himself and played almost 1,000 games. He also played in virtually every position on the pitch so knows his stuff.

"I trust his opinion greatly. If we bring in a new player or are watching a batch of trialists, he is never too far wide of the mark with his assessments. Rob and Eddie complement one another and both bring different qualities to the table. They are also very popular in the dressing room.

"We all share the load and get on well together. I'm certainly very comfortable with the situation and am delighted that I've been able to keep them both."