DANNY Hollands believes yesterday's sackings send a clear message to Cherries' players - up your game or face the same fate.

The club's PFA rep's comments came after manager Kevin Bond - along with assistants Rob Newman and Eddie Howe - was shown the door following an emergency board meeting at Dean Court last night.

And Hollands thinks the news should act as a "kick up the backside" to Cherries' squad, with the team yet to manage a win in League Two this season.

"They (the club's owners) are not messing around, so we've got to put that to the front of our minds," he told the Daily Echo.

"It could be us if we don't get a move on.

"It's a warning to everyone and a kick up the backside.

"It sends a message that they won't take rubbish and we've all got to improve our standards."

The central midfielder envisages a "hard month" ahead as the club's players aim to show their credentials to their new manager, with former Cherries star Jimmy Quinn the favourite to succeed Bond.

"He will come in with an open mind and will be looking to see who he wants to keep and pick the team from the players he's got," said Hollands.

"Every player has got to make sure they are at the top of their game to get in the squad, then the team."

The former Chelsea reserve team skipper admitted the players could have done more to prevent Bond, Newman and Howe from being dismissed.

He said: "It's hard because the new owners have come in and when someone new comes in they have their own thoughts.

"I feel for the manager, he did a great job with the team last year in nearly keeping us up.

"We haven't helped him (Bond) as much as we could have. We've got two draws and two losses - that hasn't helped.

"From a personal point of view he was a good manager and I wouldn't ever speak a bad word about him."