Now Dyche must say. . . SHOW ME THE MONEY
THE fight is nearly done and once more Sean Dyche is still standing. But you wonder, and so must he, if it is time to loosen the purse strings that are tying one hand behind his back.
A point is fast approaching when Burnley will be safe for another campaign and for that reason it is appropriate to take stock of what Dyche has been doing there.
Recognition is often overlooked in favour of other directions but, assuming they stay up, what Dyche has achieved in keeping Burnley in the Premier League year on year is a major accomplishment.
For a rundown of how well they have done to effectively secure a fourth straight top-flight season, consider this: they are bottom three in the division for wages on an average of £30,000 a week, bottom four for spending and their net spend across five years puts them bottom four as well.
Dyche (right) calls them minnows and, by those numbers, he is right. They are also very well run, with profits in three of the past four years.
But that is also why it was disheartening to hear Dyche say in midweek that the record financials they announced last month will not necessarily give him a better budget. If not, why not? The fear is obvious — there are too many bankrupted carcases of bigger clubs in League One to ignore it. But surely the time is right for some measured adventure. The hardest part has been ticked off, namely establishing Burnley as a Premier League club, and the manager has surely earned the right to spend a little more. He managed seventh last season, has improved the majority of players he has signed — Ashley Barnes for one and 19-year- old Dwight McNeil is flourishing — and he proved in the second half of the campaign that he can reverse a crisis. Dyche deserves a fairer fight. If he doesn’t get the resources, you wonder how long the club can keep punching above their weight and how long they might be able to keep their manager.
Ben Mee is impressed by what club and manager are achieving together. ‘We’re run differently from other clubs and we’re run well,’ said the defender. ‘We’re not a massive club, we need to work within our means.
‘The chairman’s said we could easily spend a bit more money and get into a bit of debt but that’s not the way the club’s doing it. The gaffer’s doing a good job with what we’ve got.’
Bournemouth should also get credit for staying up, even though Eddie Howe was keen to stress after this 3-1 defeat that they are still not safe.
With 38 points that seems a little pessimistic. More worrying, he hinted at his dismay at seeing their ‘identity’ evaporate in recent weeks.
‘As manager you are looking to see a clear identity, a way of playing, knowing you are improving in every game.
‘ But we haven’t seen the clear philosophy we want. And that hurts me more than anything.’
BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Begovic 4.5; Clyne 5.5 (Rico 46min, 6), Mepham 5, Ake 6, Smith 6; Brooks 6.5, Gosling 6 (Solanke 59, 6), Lerma 6 (Stanislas 71, 6), Fraser 6.5; Wilson 5.5, King 6. Subs not used: Boruc, Mousset, Ibe, Simpson. Scorer: Barnes 4 (og). Booked: Clyne, Smith. Manager: Eddie Howe 6. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Heaton 6; Lowton 6.5, Tarkowski 6, Mee 6, Taylor 6; Hendrick 6 (Gudmundsson 82), Westwood 7.5, Cork 6, McNeil 7; Wood 7, Barnes 7. Subs not used: Hart, Brady, Gibson, Ward, Vydra, Long. Scorers: Wood 18, Westwood 20, Barnes 57. Booked: Hendrick, Barnes, Mee. Manager: Sean Dyche 7. Referee: Martin Atkinson 6. Attendance: 10,446.