IT’S NO TIME TO
Clarets boss predicted grim relegation struggle
SEAN DYCHE has revealed he warned Burnley’s new owners of a likely relegation battle this season due to chronic underinvestment from the previous regime.
Ahead of this afternoon’s crucial trip to rock-bottom Norwich, the Clarets remain entrenched in the Premier League drop zone – a position they have occupied since September.
But this year’s struggles haven’t come as a surprise to boss Dyche, who said he previously told owners ALK Capital that there could be a rocky road ahead.
“I said to the owners this is likely, the probability is a toughish period,” he said. “I felt there was a crossover period the club was going to hit because the last three years the investment levels weren’t where they needed to be.
“For what became the obvious reason, when the club got sold.
“I explained to the new ownership that’s what it would be. I explained it would be a tough period – maybe not this tough because I was expecting a bit better than this – but I said it wouldn’t be a walk in the park because regeneration that should have been done three years ago hasn’t been.
“So now you have to regenerate quickly. We started the process with Connor [Roberts], Collo (Nathan Collins), Maxwel [Cornet], Wout [Weghorst] came in later with Woody (Chris Wood) leaving.”
He added: “We are on the right lines. Even with a new ownership, a bit more open-minded with bringing in players from afar, you can’t regenerate overnight unless you put in nowadays, it could be £90million.
“With us we are piecing it together on time but there has to be a bit of reality. Is it going to be easy? No, it’s not going to be easy to remodel and get players in who can play in the Premier League.”
Last time out, Burnley moved within a point of 17th-placed Everton by beating their fellow strugglers 3-2 at Turf Moor on Wednesday. As his team prepare for another relegation six-pointer at Norwich today, Dyche was asked if such big games are typically a time in which he brings out rousing speeches.
He replied: “If it feels right, then for me it’s always just the basics, keep it really simple, don’t overload them with information.
“They know the script, or they should know the script, we’ve done the analysis and planning so by the time you get to the point you’re going to play then they should know.
“In my opinion, if you’re making loads of changes an hour before kick-off then you’ve probably not prepped enough.
“When we get to that point, we judge the mood and then say these are the basics we spoke about, this is what our expectation is, and you have the freedom to go and deliver.
“Sometimes the players need your voice, sometimes they know. Sometimes I’ll ask them what they think at half-time and they’ll nail it virtually every time because they know.”