In this video
- Cook says he was thinking on the way over about first joining 10 years ago, when the club sat in a very different position. Where Bournemouth are now is amazing, he says, and a lot of people got them there. The last few seasons the club has really kicked on.
- Excitement has been building around Bournemouth for weeks and months, Cook says, and it is exciting for the players, the staff and the club. But it reaches a point where new memories have to be made, and they have come here to compete as well as they can against tough opposition.
- Cook expects a tough game: a strong side with a lot of technically good players, experience in this competition and a very competitive league behind them. He thinks the atmosphere will be great for the fans, and calls it a challenge against opposition different to the Premier League.
- Cook says the group is fortunate to have a manager who has experienced this a lot and can be leaned on in certain moments. A few of the squad have played plenty of games in the competition too, and he expects tough moments where that experience is needed.
- A long time ago the club was nearly falling out of the Football League, Cook says, and 17 years on Bournemouth are competing in Europe. He thanks the managers and staff who did long stints and built the foundations, and the ownership that pushed the club to the level it needed.
There's going to be a bit of pressure, but I think that's part of football, and it's something which I'll look forward to and cherish, cuz like I said, it doesn't always come around.
I feel like it's such a hard competition. I think you've got to take it game by game.
It's just a feeling really. It's kind of a feeling of this is the next step and it's something that I'm really looking forward to and I feel like the club and the fans as well should really look forward to it.
Bournemouth prepare to begin their first-ever UEFA Europa League campaign against Real Sociedad, marking another major step in the club’s rise from the lower leagues to European football.
Ahead of the historic opener, Lewis Cook reflected on Bournemouth’s journey over the past decade and the people who helped build the club into a side capable of competing in Europe. He said the excitement around the occasion now has to turn into performance, with Bournemouth focused on competing against an experienced Real Sociedad side.
Cook expects a difficult test against technically strong opposition and believes Bournemouth will need to manage the different challenges European football presents compared with the Premier League. He also highlighted the value of having players and staff with previous European experience within the squad.
While the occasion will be memorable for the players and supporters, Bournemouth are approaching their Europa League debut with the aim of making an impact rather than simply enjoying the experience.
