Jackson’s reset brings the Burnley smile back
MIKE JACKSON was not supposed to be at Burnley for long, only asked to help take the Under 23s on a temporary basis last summer.
It was to plug the gap left by Steve Stone when he was promoted to first-team coach and a foray back into work for Jackson, nine months after he was sacked by Tranmere Rovers.
One thing led to another. Jackson impressed with the streetwise attitude he instilled into the club’s youngsters, it quickly becoming obvious he would continue in the role. And now here he is, a Premier League manager, even if only for another five matches.
A reluctant Premier League manager, it must be said. He is not one for the limelight and is often thrown by the hype that has seen seven points gained from a possible nine to give the Clarets an improbable shot at survival.
Away at Watford today, they might still go down, but relegation is no longer the near-certainty that it was during Sean Dyche’s final days in the job.
Dyche’s legacy at Burnley is clear. Their greatest manager since title-winning Harry Potts of the 1960s, he oversaw huge infrastructural change and cemented the town as top-flight regulars. He made them dream by reaching Europe in 2018 and did a fine job over a decade with limited funds.
Equally, though, Dyche’s message was no longer getting through to the players and had not for a long time. The two sides probably ought to have parted ways a couple of seasons prior to the rather unedifying end earlier this month.
Chairman Alan Pace was expected to sack Dyche after a 2-0 defeat at Brentford on March 12. Pace gave him another three games, including a rousing victory over Everton and abject surrender at Norwich, before turning to Jackson. Hindsight suggests he might have been more ruthless.
A centre half at Preston North End under David Moyes, Jackson’s only management experience was at Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere in the lower leagues. Neither stint lasted long, sources saying Jackson was dealt terrible hands.
He has surrounded himself with different voices at Burnley’s Barnfield Training Centre.
Ben Mee, the club captain, does rehabilitation for an injury before completing a full day’s work as a coach and is a strong, articulate speaker. Paul Jenkins, the former academy director, and goalkeeping coach Conor king complete a four-man collective.
Jackson distances himself from the idea of a revolution, despite an obvious upturn. There have been tweaks — an increase in passing patterns in training and affording players more trust in possession — while pushing a reset button on Dyche’s fundamentals.
Striker Wout Weghorst is told to stop worrying about dropping deep. Dwight McNeil is visibly happier, Jenkins telling the winger he wanted to see him smile more. He has since turned in his best displays of the season.
‘In terms of freedom, no team goes out with a “just do what you want” approach,’ said Jackson. ‘You have a way you want to work but there’s a lot of good work gone on before here.’
A lot of that stems from ‘the bunker’, the club analysis room. The coaching quartet are all in there at different times, studying sessions and the opposition. They have had a new recruit this week, Ashley Westwood returning for the first time since surgery on a fractured ankle sustained during Jackson’s first game at West Ham.
His presence gave the place another lift, although Westwood left with homework — he has been poring over videos of Watford and reporting back. The midfielder has relished the responsibility.
A cloud has lifted. McNeil and Connor Roberts have dovetailed on the right, with the latter scoring a stunner against Southampton.
‘People were asking what’s gone wrong and I said I’m not myself on or off the pitch,’ said Roberts. ‘Since Jacko’s been in charge, he’s let me be myself and it shows.’
Little things, like social media interaction between Roberts and Nathan Collins, have been noticed that may have been frowned upon before. The club’s media team are more welcome at training.
This is what a new manager bounce looks like, a refresh. Burnley have not achieved anything yet and more than a few million quid depends on the outcome. But they seem to have found the man to save them.