Technical Director Francis to leave Bournemouth at end of season
Written by
Simon Austin
May 1, 2026
AFC Bournemouth Technical Director Simon Francis will end a 15-year association with the club when he departs at the end of the season.
The 41-year-old first joined the Cherries on loan from Charlton in 2011 before making the move permanent in January 2012. He went on to make 324 appearances for Bournemouth over the course of nine seasons and was a key member of Eddie Howe’s squad that gained promotion from League One to the Premier League.
Following his retirement from playing in 2020, Francis worked under former team-mate Richard Hughes, initially as a Senior Scout and then Assistant Technical Director.
When Hughes left to join Liverpool in 2024, Francis was promoted to Technical Director. However, Tiago Pinto arrived from AS Roma in May 2024 to become President of Football Operations, taking overall charge of football department for the Cherries.
Francis is reported to be attracting interest from overseas clubs, including Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
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