EDDIE Howe confirmed full-back Adam Smith is close to a return to full fitness – whilst David Brooks and Junior Stanislas are still yet to return to training.

Smith, who rejoined Cherries for a second spell in 2014, had been missing since he suffered a hamstring injury against Leicester back in August.

Asked for team news ahead of Norwich's visit to Vitality Stadium tomorrow (3pm), Howe said: “We’re pretty much as we were. Adam Smith is getting closer, David Brooks is some way away, so is Dan Gosling, so is Junior Stanislas. The rest are pretty much there."

Quizzed on Smith's comeback, Howe added: “He’s trained. We’ve had to take our time with his hamstring injury.

“It hasn’t been an absolute clear, low-grade strain. So, we had to take our time with him and be careful with him, so he’s close.”

Brooks, who is yet to feature this term after picking up an ankle injury in pre-season is nearing a return – but is yet to rejoin first team-training.

“He’s at the stage where we’re building his fitness," said Howe.

"We haven’t seen him in training, but we’re building that endurance that he needs.”

“That’s the process he’s going through – I won’t say he is particularly enjoying it, because it is really hard work. But once he gets back on the grass and that’s when he’ll have a big smile on his face and he’ll be kicking a ball again.

"He’s doing some hard yards at the moment, but he’s not too far away."

With eight senior players away on international duty, Howe was pleased to report that everyone reported back with a full bill of health.

"We’ve seen everybody now, but there’s a couple of slight concerns.

"In the main, when you lose your players for that period of time, you know they’ve games ahead, you’re always slightly fearful of how they’re gonna come back. We can be relatively pleased."