EDDIE Howe will tomorrow pit his wits against Sean O’Driscoll, a man the Cherries boss has revealed is “someone I have always looked up to”.

Howe is set to welcome O’Driscoll’s Bristol City to Dean Court as Cherries complete their pre-season friendly campaign against the League One outfit (3pm).

O’Driscoll, Howe’s youth team boss, coach and manager at Cherries, failed to save the Robins from relegation after taking over at Ashton Gate in January.

Cherries’ record appearance maker until he was passed by Steve Fletcher, O’Driscoll served the club in a number of different capacities before leaving for Doncaster in 2006.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “I would say the biggest impact he had was on my playing career. From when he first used to coach me when I was 16, I always felt he was ahead of his time. He was very good and very educational with players. He taught us a lot.

“I used to drive in with him when he was still a player because we used to live near one another and I have known him a long time. I have the utmost respect for not just how he coaches and manages, but his ethics of the game.

“I think Bristol City will be strong this season because Sean knows what he is doing. He has done it time and time again and he builds good football teams. They always try to play the right way and he always tries to educate his players to get them to play the style of football that all Bournemouth fans will know.

“I really look forward to welcoming him back. He did such a good job for the club in many different roles – managing, playing, with the youth team and as physio. He put his heart and soul into the club for such a long time and I know everyone will recognise that when he returns.”

Howe, meanwhile, insists supporters should read little into his team selection against Bristol City, even though the contest will be Cherries’ final game of their warm-up campaign.

A glut of minor injuries could again see several players watch from the sidelines, although Howe insists the majority could recover in time to be in contention to face Charlton in Cherries’ Championship curtain-raiser.

Howe added: “It is the last chance to impress in game format but we won’t be using it as the team that plays against Bristol City will play against Charlton.

“I have used the whole of pre-season to judge my players, not just one game, and there is still time during the next week in training to change my mind.”

Brett Pitman, Wes Fogden, Ryan Fraser, Matt Ritchie and Matt Tubbs are among the players who could miss out, while Ryan Allsop, Eunan O’Kane and Marc Pugh are expected to step up their respective comebacks.