Adam Smith Bournemouth
Adam Smith, one of AFC Bournemouth’s most enduring players, has extended his contract for another year, making him the sixth-highest appearance-maker in the club’s history. Smith’s journey with Bournemouth began in the 2010/11 season when he joined on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, later securing a permanent move in January 2014. As he approaches the twilight of his playing career, Smith is contemplating his future both on and off the pitch.
Adam Smith said: “Next season, I don’t want to say it, but it could be my last season because that will take me to 36. And do I want to drop down and play in the Championship? No, I don’t think I do, but I might. I obviously don’t see my family much because they live back where I’m from in London. So yeah, it’s how long I want to keep on doing it.”
Smith has been preparing for life after football by completing a diploma and earning his coaching badges. He has expressed interest in exploring recruitment roles within the sport once he retires.
Adam Smith continued: “My motivation, honestly, is to keep on proving to myself that I can still play at this level. And everyone always questions you, like, oh, he’s 34, like, can he keep doing it, and I like to prove them people wrong, but I also like to show that, my son’s 7, he loves football, so I want to show him what it’s like to reach the top and stay at the top. So that is my main motivation, to be honest with you.”
The arrival of Andoni Iraola as manager at Bournemouth has also played a significant role in reinvigorating Smith’s career.
Adam Smith remarked: “I think when he came in, when I was 30, 31, and when you get to that age you do get a bit stale, you just feel, I need something else to motivate me. The way he sees football is the way I see football. I don’t agree with all this tiki-taka, playing out from the back and not wanting to go long, and when we used to play like the Citys and the Arsenals, we used to change how we play and we used to go like, ‘let’s go five at the back and sit off them.’ I felt like you just show these teams [too much respect]. But no player wants to do that. Now every game we believe we can actually beat anyone, even if we’re 2-0 down. That’s why you see so many late goals in this team, because it’s the mentality that he’s put in us is we just will never ever stop, and we don’t stop. That really energised me at a stage in my career that I was bit bored, you know.”
Smith’s reflections highlight his ongoing passion for the game and his desire to continue competing at the highest level. His future plans, both on and off the field, demonstrate a thoughtful approach to the next phase of his career, ensuring that he remains connected to the sport he loves.
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