Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Do I have to call time on beer?
CLARETS’ TEETOTAL NEW OWNER PACE REVEALS DYCHE’S QUESTION TO HIM ON FIRST MEETING
SEAN DYCHE shocked Burnley’s new owner Alan Pace at their first meeting by asking him if he can still drink.
Pace is teetotal because of his Mormon faith and says Dyche surprised him when he asked whether his beliefs meant he could no longer have a beer.
“He asked me a question I really didn’t think he would ask,” said the American. “He knew of my religion and how we feel about drinking – we don’t drink alcohol – and he asked if that applied to him!
“I loved our conversation. I think he’s a great guy. I really didn’t know what to expect because you hear his raspy voice and he seems a little firm. But I think he’s lovely. I think we’re going to get on very, very well.”
Pace paid around £170million for his 84 per cent stake in Burnley last week and says Dyche was a big attraction because of his successful eight-year reign.
Dyche has 18 months left on his current deal and Pace has told him he can stay at Turf Moor for as long as he likes.
“Sean is so important to the success of this club and what we’re trying to do,” he said. “I would love him to be here for as long as he wants to stay.
“That’s his decision, his choice. There will come a time when we do have to address his contract, but that will be driven by him as much as by us.
“But it’s not an urgent matter. The urgent matter is this window right now.”
Pace has promised to back
Dyche during this month’s transfer window and end his frustrations at hav in g to operate p on a shoestring budget.
“I don’t expect Sean to be frustrated,” he said. “I can answer that directly.
“He does have some things he’s looking at. We’ ll support him i n what he’s looking at and if he wants to go forward, we will support him.”
Pace believes in using data analysis to identify players, but insists it is not ‘Moneyball’ and it will only be introduced gradually.
He has moved to Burnley in a sign of his commitment to the Clarets, although he joked he has only been to the town’s Tesco and
Turf Moor because of lockdown. Pace plans to interact with fans on social media and insists the club can afford the loan he has taken out to fund his takeover.
He fell in l ove w with football when h he saw Barcelona p play Real Madrid i in the Champions L League as a s student living in the Catalan city and hopes to improve the mixed record of US owners in the Premier League.
“I honestly do mean it when I say my partners and I are concerned about the long-term financial viability of this club as if we were a f amily member,” he added. “So we’re not going to do stupid stuff.”
MAN WITH THE PLAN Burnley owner Alan Pace has now moved to the town