BUILDING THE WAY BURNLEY
SEAN DYCHE gazed out over Burnley’s new £ 10.6million Barnfield Training Centre and saw a clear vision of what lies ahead for the club.
Gone are the state-of-the-ark facilities where pitches were f l ooded and resembled swamps for six months of the season.
Here to stay is Burnley’s brand new state-of-the-art base which catapults the club into the 21st century of football excellence.
And the Clarets boss could not be a prouder man as he prepares his side for a second successive crack at the Premier League big boys.
But the likeable Dyche is still conscious of the club’s imitations as their rivals spend millions.
Robbie Brady remains Burnley’s record buy at £13m – a drop in the ocean for neighbours Manchester United, City, Liverpool and Everton.
But being smart with their money is the name of the game for Burnley. It always will be.
And although Dyche is still quizzed by locals as to why he has not splashed £50m of Burnley’s TV money on a superstar signing, he constantly stresses that fans have to take a reality check.
Dyche said: “For us, it’s going to be inching forward not massive strides – how it should be for a team like us.
“Business-wise it’s not going to be enough financially to jump massively with wages and fees. So it’s inching along and building and building and building.
“That can be hard but it gives clarity. I know where we are going.
“It keeps you on your toes. It’s healthy for me and the staff to keep pushing the players.
“They know what we’re about. They’re not stupid. They know every day is a challenge. There’s no point in me giving you a load of BS.
“It’s the toughest league in the world. The Premier League is a business which has no rules. We’re going to buy him, bring him in. But we’re reality-bound.
“I’m saying it’s inch by inch in our case. If you’re at a different club with a different ownership they might say, ‘Sean, the world’s your oyster, crack on. Don’t worry about the wages, don’t worry about anything’.
“That’s different. Then you manage that. I can only manage what is given to me. Every now and then I get frustrated. I think, ‘Why can’t we get that? Give me a chance to get this’.
“The secret is working with whatever you’re given to work within. Keep your eye on that. If you start crying too much you get so wrapped up in it that you affect your own performance. And then your own performance starts dipping.”
Burnley’s financial restraints, though, are still often overlooked by the faithful.
But Dyche can understand that too as supporters look at the multi-million rewards for being in the Premier League and cannot understand why the gaffer does not flash the big fat cheque book.
Dyche added: “There will still be people saying, “Why haven’t you signed him?” They look at you and say, ‘Yeah with all that TV money’. You go, right you want us to spend £50m on one player at Burnley?
“It’s bizarre but it happens. Less so here because they have not yet forgotten – yet – what this club is. These are the realities and I insist on telling the truth as I see it. We try to be open here.”
★ TOM HEATON cannot wait to get to grips with the new season – but he admits he will miss high fives with old pal Joey Barton.
The veteran midfielder, 34, is four months into a 13-month suspension from football, reduced from 18 months on appeal, for gambling on matches.
Heaton, 31, said: “He was brilliant on and off the pitch.
“He will be a loss to Burnley. Michael Keane going as well is another loss.
“But one of the big features under the manager is a squad ethos.”
massive blow. You just hope we get someone in who will produce similar quality.
‘We’ve flirted with relegation with a number of different coaches. Chopping and changing managers is unsettling.
“It was especially difficult for us because we’d always been a stable club with our own playing philosophy. We’re now seeing that again with Paul.”
Newly promoted Brighton, Newcastle and Huddersfield all also have the same manager as last season.
But if Toon chief Rafa Benitez and Terriers counterpart David Wagner (right) are trying to be as busy in the market as possible – with numerous new recruits being chased by both throughout the summer – Brighton rival Chris Hughton insists spending money in a considered manner is absolutely critical. Hughton, whose two previous stints in the top flight came at Newcastle and Norwich, said: “You need characters for your cash.
“When you move up to the Premier League, it’s about big personalities standing up.”
By contrast, Watford and Crystal Palace both have new managers. Ex-Hull coach Marco Silva has replaced Walter Mazzarri at Vicarage Road, while Frank de Boer recently succeeded retired Sam Allardyce at Selhurst Park.
Dutchman De Boer’s late appointment means the Eagles squad has barely changed. Only Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 21, on loan from Chelsea, and Ajax midfielder Jairo Riedewald, 20, have signed to date. Silva, though, has added SEVEN new faces during the close season.
HARRY PRATT