KEEP YOUR FAITH IN SEAN THE MIRACLE MAN, WARNS EX-BOSS TERNENT
EXCLUSIVE BY JOHN RICHARDSON FORMER Clarets boss Stan Ternent reckons Sean Dyche is working miracles at Burnley.
But their current plight – fighting a relegation battle with their main striker Chris Wood being snatched away by Newcastle – has placed Dyche and his coaching team under huge pressure.
And there have been numerous changes behind the scenes at Turf
Moor as ALK Capital, under chairman Alan Pace, who took control 12 months ago, implement their own ideas.
Ternent has been down the same road, lauded during his four years as manager in which he brought in excitement in the shape of Paul Gascoigne and Ian Wright before being axed after the club took a financial hit.
“Sean has done a terrific job. He brought them back into the Premier
League when they got relegated and if the worst was to happen I think he is the best man to bring them up again,” Ternent maintained.
“The job he has done isn’t open to question in my view. It’s the same every season, it’s a battle to stay in the big league.
“When you are a Burnley and you look at the top four or five clubs who you’ve got to play twice, anything you
get from those games is a bonus. So that could be 10 games written off — meaning you’ve got to try and get 40 points from the remaining 28 matches or whatever it takes to stay up, so it’s always difficult.
“He’s had his main striker taken away from him because of a buy-out clause and, because of Covid, they will now have a fixture pile-up and points to make up. That heaps the pressure on you, the fans can start getting restless and can get on the manager’s back.
“Sean is well thought of amongst the Burnley supporters but it’s still about getting results and fans are fickle. That’s the way it is.”
It was for him when suddenly the past achievements meant very little.
Ternent explained: “We were trying to get into the Premier League – and I felt it was only a matter of time before we did – and then we had the ITV digital agreement collapse which had a huge impact on clubs. My budget was suddenly halved so I had to sell some players.
“It was also the end for me because they wanted somebody younger with different ideas so no one is immune when the pressure increases.
“I felt that my last season was one of my best achievements because of the lack of money, but it didn’t save me. The people at the top didn’t see it that way,
“I just hope the people who make the decisions at Burnley can see the job that Sean has done.
“He and his players have been fantastic. He is proven.
“But every game now will be a Cup final. It’s about keeping your nerve – and that means everyone at Burnley.”