MANAGER Paul Groves is poised to make a decision on Cherries’ out-of-contract players and backroom staff.

Groves, appointed as Lee Bradbury’s permanent successor on Friday, revealed he had already held talks with the majority of the Cherries squad.

One of his first tasks in the Dean Court hot-seat will be to make a verdict on his retained list.

Young defender Dan Strugnell is understood to be in line for a new deal, although fellow rookies Paddy Hester and Alex Parsons are believed to have been released.

Warren Cummings, Lyle Taylor, Michael Symes and Mathieu Baudry are among those waiting to discover if they will be kept on.

Speaking after putting pen to paper on a two-year deal, Groves told the Daily Echo: “We are now in a position where we can go ahead and make decisions having seen the majority of those players.

“In the early part of the week, those decisions will be made for everybody’s benefit. I think it is a case of the earlier, the better on that. We have already spoken to virtually every player within the squad on an individual basis.”

Another issue on Groves’s agenda will be to decide the make-up of his backroom team.

Former boss Bradbury recruited a number of new faces as he bolstered the club’s coaching and support staff during his tenure.

Groves intends to hold talks with the employees before he makes any final decisions. He added: “There are people in place and we need to sit down with those people and speak with them.”

Chairman Eddie Mitchell confirmed that the situation regarding ex-assistant boss Russ Wilcox remained “ongoing”. He was placed on gardening leave following Bradbury’s departure.