THERE was a sense of déjà vu towards the tail end of Gary O’Neil’s press conference in the wake of Saturday’s defeat to Burnley, a rhetoric repeated.

Since being appointed on a permanent basis, O’Neil has been coy in regard to the specifics of Cherries’ plans for the January transfer window, remaining vague behind generic statements of strengthening, without highlighting the specific areas of the pitch requiring attention.

Even questions about the potential of a logjam, Cherries with the maximum complement of 25 players registered, have not been addressed in concrete terms.

Pre-Burnley the veil lifted slightly, with O’Neil stating how his main role under the moniker of head coach was to be on the training ground, improving existing players.

The man who brought O’Neil to the Vitality Stadium, fellow caretaker boss Jonathan Woodgate, was once asked what the difference between a manager and a head coach was, and it appears the incumbent in the Cherries hot seat answered it.

As stressed by O’Neil, the head coach would expect a say in the conversation regarding incomings and outgoings, but perhaps not the final say a manager might wield at a club.

After another error-strewn loss, a mild cupset with in-form Burnley leading the Championship, the quiet part was said out loud for the first time under O’Neil.

“The group needs some help.”

Nearly those exact words had come out of the last man to be head coach at Cherries, Scott Parker.

“They need some help.”

If that was not reminiscent enough of his predecessor Parker, O’Neil followed another similar track, pointing out the spending of fellow promoted side, Nottingham Forest.

Beyond the shared underlying message, the approach of the two head coaches has differed.

Parker was far more scathing, stating how an “unequipped” Cherries side were “struggling for air”, also stating how they needed “bodies through the door”.

Even before the 9-0 drubbing at Anfield that spelled the end of his Cherries career, Parker was stating how he viewed the squad as “weaker” than the team that earnt promotion.

O’Neil has approached the matter diplomatically, but ultimately he has come to the same conclusion as Parker.

Slightly unprompted, he mentioned how Cherries had only strengthened by bringing in Marcus Tavernier, Neto and Marcos Senesi, omitting fellow summer signings Joe Rothwell, Jack Stephens, and Ryan Fredericks.

Cherries are practically playing with the same squad they earnt promotion with, according to O’Neil – which also raises the question over last season’s business, with only Ryan Christie and Kieffer Moore becoming first team regulars since joining last campaign.

Parker, and now O’Neil, have expressed their opinion that the recruitment in the Championship has left Cherries ill-prepared for the top flight, four windows approached with a seemingly short-term focus that now hampers the club’s survival chances in the Premier League.

The reaction to Parker’s continued pleas bore fruit in the form of additions, Tavernier, Senesi, and Neto arriving, but ultimately it became too much and the former Fulham boss was sacked, his attitude attacked and questioned.

Owner at the time, Max Demin, shared how “we must also show belief in and respect for one another.”

It appeared it was Cherries that had been vindicated when O’Neil steered the side back on track, but now the wheels are buckling, threatening to come off, it could be Parker who is proven right.

Bill Foley is now in charge, and spoke of his “bias to action”, his methodology of admitting mistakes and self-correcting even if it means going back on previous statements.

It remains to be seen if O’Neil will get his wish of reinforcements – and whether he is the right man to make the most of them.