Sports
Elizabeth Williams Explains Why WNBA Players Drew Line on Housing
WNBA players have secured team housing through labor negotiations, ensuring support until 2028.
Yahoo Sports1 min read
Soccer
Francis to leave Bournemouth
TL;DR
Simon Francis, the first-team technical director of AFC Bournemouth, will depart the club at the end of the season.
Key points
- Simon Francis will leave AFC Bournemouth.
- He is the first-team technical director.
- His departure is set for the end of the season.
Mentioned in this story
Simon Francis
AFC Bournemouth
[BBC]
[Getty Images]
AFC Bournemouth's first-team technical director Simon Francis will leave the club at the end of the season.
The 41-year-old is set to move to a new job overseas.
Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are understood to be amongst the teams interested in appointing the former Cherries defender.
Francis' departure will bring an end to his 15-year association with Bournemouth.
The former defender first joined the club on loan from Charlton in 2011 before making the move permanent in January 2012.
Francis went on to make more than 300 appearances for the club 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 joined the recruitment set-up at Vitality Stadium, working under his former team mate Richard Hughes as assistant technical director.
Francis was then promoted to first-team technical director in 2024 when Hughes left for Liverpool.
Explore Bournemouth content on BBC Sounds
Q&A
Why is Simon Francis leaving Bournemouth?
The specific reasons for Simon Francis's departure have not been disclosed.
When will Simon Francis officially leave Bournemouth?
Simon Francis will leave the club at the end of the current season.
What role did Simon Francis hold at AFC Bournemouth?
Simon Francis served as the first-team technical director at AFC Bournemouth.
