RESULT! Dyche happy to help ace Keane progress
about early on. Rhead flattened Joey Barton and then Power – who used to knock about in Dublin with UFC star Conor McGregor and played alongside him in the Sunday League – was booked for a crunching tackle on Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
It was the sort of move that McGregor might get away with in one of his fights but one that ended the Iceland international’s afternoon.
Barton often seemed intent on getting revenge and was at the heart of several ugly clashes before he was finally shown a yellow card in a clash with both Rhead and Terry Hawkridge that almost boiled over into a mass brawl. But the Clarets created few clear-cut chances and when they did they fired only blanks.
Andre Gray, Barton and Scott Arfield all had opportunities but could never find the finish to spare the Premier League side from going out to a team 81 places below them. SEAN DYCHE is relishing the job of polishing his gem of a defender Michael Keane into an England diamond for the future.
Keane, 24, was at the centre of intense transfer speculation in last month’s transfer window as Chelsea and Everton were both linked with a £25million move.
Leicester failed with a £15m bid for the centre-back in the summer and Keane (right) has enhanced his reputation over the course of the last six months.
Everton boss Ronald Koeman has made it clear he is planning to return with a summer bid.
Speaking at the end of January, the Goodison Park boss said: “He’s on our list but he is on lots of team’s lists. It’s what we need for the future.”
However, Burnley chief Dyche is pressing on with the development of Keane – who began his career at Manchester United before an initial loan move to Turf Moor in September 2014.
The Clarets star’s call-up Debit my to the full England squad in October has further enhanced his reputation as a defender of culture and commitment for both club and country.
Dyche – a centre-back himself in his playing days – said: “Michael’s learned a lot since he’s been here but I think he is a work in progress – he’s learning. “I think Keano has improved with that thirst to defend because he can play.
“In football it is something to actually find defenders who want to defend and that’s the growth in Keano I’ve been impressed with. “Our main job is to win games but the idea of helping others to develop and improve is key and I take a lot of pride in it.
“He’s learning from experience and I still think there’s more to come.
“The higher the level you’re doing it at will improve you further.
“It’s piecing together a whole centre-half’s performance and then it’s about consistency.”