Sean piece in today’s Times

Shipclaret · Post by **Shipclaret** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 8:23 am

Full page interview with Mr D in today’s Times. As usual level headed common sense comments. I don’t live in Lancashire any more and meet supporters of other clubs all the time. I have never heard anything but praise for our manager and rightly so. He is a real attribute both sides of the white line - always. I know we know just saying so does everyone else.

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 8:44 am

Shipclaret wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 8:23 am
Full page interview with Mr D in today’s Times. As usual level headed common sense comments. I don’t live in Lancashire any more and meet supporters of other clubs all the time. I have never heard anything but praise for our manager and rightly so. He is a real attribute both sides of the white line - always. I know we know just saying so does everyone else.

Absolutely. I travel about a lot (well did!!!) and meet many football fans from around the UK and he has gained great respect and so too has Burnley FC.
Like me, many are puzzled as to why a big club has not hired him. I don't wish to tempt fate with that comment. He IS our club.

IAmAClaret · Post by **IAmAClaret** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:31 am

Sean Dyche must be the longest-reigning Premier League manager of the month. He won the honour for Burnley’s form in February, pipping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Mikel Arteta and Chris Wilder to the honour, had one game in March, a draw with Spurs, and then his sport stopped.

Dyche was at the Barnfield training ground today, accelerating Burnley’s preparations for the season’s resumption, full of admiration for the key workers who kept this country going, and finding time to reflect on this extraordinary lockdown period.

In between spending time with his family in Northamptonshire and “jet-washing just about anything”, the 48-year-old manager was absorbed by two wildly different shows on television, both essentially dissections of relationships. “I thought Normal People was absolutely fantastic,” Dyche says of the story of first love. “The ending! How could you end such an intense period in young people’s lives and have the strength of love to let someone go? I really enjoyed that but The Last Dance, for me, was exceptional.”

Dyche was fascinated with how the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, Phil Jackson, handled strong basketball players, especially the legend Michael Jordan and mavericks such as Dennis Rodman, during their NBA finals pomp. “I was intrigued by the management style, the trust in the players to play their part. That’s key in football, too: know your role.

“It sounds like there were not so many joyous relationships all the time but when you’re dealing with an absolute born winner, those players knew they had ‘the man’ in Jordan, the man who would win them things, so they protected him and, strangely, cared for him. That’s amazing respect from team-mates who could get their ego out and go, ‘Well, it’s not all about him.’ They all played their part and that is a successful team absolutely personified.

“We often think our players are not allowed to do this or that and you’ve got Jordan, the world’s most famous sportsperson at the time, having a cigar and a bottle of beer after a game, knowing he’s got another game the next day! If that was one of the Premier League players they’d be saying ‘disgrace’. When Jordan explains why he did these things you go, ‘Well, yes, OK.’ ” He delivered.

“The insight into Jackson was his open-mindedness to the world, not just to the sport. They were talking about Zen thinking, meditation. He was very open in his manner. When Rodman turns up and he’s been missing for days, Jackson fines him, speaks to the group, says Rodman has been a tool but he’s a key player, they hug and get on with it.

“That’s brave. That can backfire on you. Jackson trusted that when Rodman comes on the court he’s going to do the business.” That’s enlightened management. “We all know that the days of stick, stick, stick have gone. It’s a lot more carrot, carrot, carrot and now and again stick.”

Born in Kettering, Dyche stepped into management at Watford in 2011 and Burnley in 2012 after enjoying a good career as a centre back, representing Chesterfield, Millwall, Watford and Northampton in particular. He has guided Burnley to tenth in the top flight, a remarkable feat given resources.

“When I got here, Burnley were not a big club,” he reflects. “Big history, for sure, but you’re not a big club if you’re getting 11,000 fans and you’re not winning. We have come some way as a club to getting at least back on the map. The only thing I said when I got here was, ‘You’ll have a team who gives everything and a manager who gives everything. There will be sweat on the shirt.’ That’s been the minimum requirement and we certainly delivered that.

“Underneath the fact that you have to win games or you don’t survive, what drives me is the development of players, myself, staff. I’m big on that.” He takes pride in Nick Pope and James Tarkowski becoming England internationals and the journey of former players. “Like Duffer [Michael Duff] and Joey Barton, who are now in management, and players like ‘Trips’ [Kieran Trippier] going on and playing fantastically well for club [Tottenham Hotspur and Atlético Madrid] and country [England]. Danny Ings and Charlie Austin did great here and after they left us.”

He espouses a straightforward managerial mantra, “legs, hearts and minds”, all of which need to be strong. “The ‘legs, hearts and minds’ came out of a simple idea on my pro-licence. You need all three to achieve anything.” The ‘minds’ element has become increasingly important, and Dyche and his staff have been particularly attentive to players’ mental health during lockdown, with the squad being separated.

“It’s having an empathy and understanding to what’s going on in their lives,” Dyche says. “People often deem footballers, ‘They’ve got money so they’ll be all right.’ Money doesn’t make everything all right. We all realise that with Covid: when you’re sitting in your house, and that’s all you can do, then it’s a challenge, particularly if you’re an achiever. These guys are super-fit and when that daily challenge, that edge, is taken away it can have an effect.

“Our way of dealing with that was good lines of communication and understanding. At the start, we told the players, ‘Chill out, look after your families, no training, go and rest.’ We didn’t even get the GPS units back out to them for five weeks. Then we said, ‘Right, now we’re going to monitor you, here’s your training schedule, these are the loads we’re looking for, and there’s a GPS.’ I trust the players and the players trust us.

“We’d told them on Zoom that ‘lads, you’re going to get kit [sent], you need to look after it, you get nothing at all, no food, no water, bring everything with you [to Barnfield]. Look, you get a lot done for you, it’s not going to do you any harm for once to just make sure you’re looking after your kit, you’re washing it, you come in ready.’ ”

They have. “They’ve come back fit, well and energised,” Dyche says. “As we’ve unlocked the rules, and train more freely, I think they’re enjoying it even more. The players are still coming in in their kit. They don’t come in the building. They do now get a bit of food that the chef prepares in boxes to take away in their cars. I’ve been unbelievably proud of their professionalism and their acceptance of ‘OK, so that’s what’s needed then that’s what’s needed’.”

They are tested twice a week, and the only hiccup has been his assistant, Ian Woan, testing positive for the virus on May 19. “He’s good, never had anything at all, asymptomatic, I believe they call it,’’ Dyche replies, “Not even a temperature, not a head cold, nothing.” Woan returned after self-isolating.

The players, meanwhile, have thrown themselves into the close-contact work, preparing for their first game against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, whose title is destined for Liverpool. “I don’t think City will be giving up this season, just laying down,” Dyche replies. “I don’t think it’s in their nature or their manager’s nature. It’s certainly a tough start.

“Look, we know the reality of playing City. We know how difficult it is to take on the big guns in the Premier League. City’s a test, absolutely, always is. We need to be right and ready.’’

Dyche has been preparing his players for the psychological challenge of playing behind closed doors. “It’s the enhancement as a player that you get from a crowd,” he says. “They did many tests on players away from home compared to at home, and there are different testosterone levels. It’s chemically affecting you, because of crowd, home expectation, the feelgood factor. We’re not sure how that’s going to change. Germany are in front of us and they’ve had some different scenarios about home advantage [being less important].”

He says his players have no fear about returning but readily agrees the pandemic has placed football in perspective. “It’s so all-encompassing being a footballer or manager,” Dyche says. “Then this happens and you go, ‘Hang on a minute, what’s really important?’ Health. You know the old saying ‘your health is your wealth’. Football is incredibly important in all our lives but this is a reminder about real life, don’t take it for granted.”

He’s enjoyed the opportunity to be with his wife and two children in Northamptonshire. “I was doing the dad things I don’t always get to do, getting my hands dirty, jet-washing just about everything. I learnt some interesting words from the kids. ‘Hench!’ It was strangely good times, spending more quality time with the family, listening more deeply to them, finding out more about their lives, sitting with the kids having a long dinner, watching the bulletins come in from the government.”

He’s also watched the impact of the pandemic on EFL clubs, already with resources stretched. “It’s been a concern for many years,” Dyche says. He hopes the innate resilience of clubs will see them through, shielded from adversity by supporters. “I’ve played for a few, and there’s a protective factor of local communities for lower-league clubs, which has helped them survive. This is another challenge but you look in the history of football, compared to other businesses, and it has very often found a way. We recently had Bury [going bust] but there’s not many of those stories.

“I can only hope that with the help of communities and local businesses, plus as we start opening the UK back up, that these clubs come through it. Any help that can be given by the relevant powers is obviously going to enhance their chances. Everything’s often put on the Premier League to help but you could argue the government, TV companies, media companies, should go, ‘How can we help?’ Clubs are vital parts of the community.”

Dyche admires how his club have rallied to the community, supporting foodbanks, and all the players contributing financially and with simple, impactful gestures like calling vulnerable fans. “The players don’t want applauding for it,” he says. “They do it because their moral compass is pointing in the right direction. They have a thirst to do the right thing.

“It’s on record as we do the most hours of any Premier League club in the community. It feels like I’m questioning other clubs. Other clubs are very big and very corporate-bound and do loads of good stuff in the community. Burnley are an earthy club which has a reality to it. We get 19,000 locals in the stadium, a massively high percentage considering there’s only 78,000 people in the town [88,000 at last census]. The club give back to the town because the people give to us.”

mdd2 · Post by **mdd2** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:45 am

Thanks for that.

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:47 am

Very interesting read that was. Thanks for posting it.

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 11:13 am

Great read, thanks for posting.

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:06 pm

Very uplifting read thanks, i'm glad Sean pointed out all the community work the club do, what's the mantra, one club, one community, it good to see us embodying that.

It probably does give everybody a new perspective on life, and he's right we've all got such busy schedules that often quality time with family is at a premium, and hopefully Sean and the squad have recharged their batteries, and they return with renewed vigour.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:42 pm

Read the article late night when Saturday's online edition was first posted....

Interesting, also, to look at a few of the comments in The Times - (I've left the names off):

******
Sean Dyche has proved himself over the last eight years to be an excellent manager. He chose the right club at the right time but has worked hard for his success and deserves the praise he receives. If you support a big city club it’s hard to understand what it means to a small economically deprived town to have a football club in the top league. Well done Sean and keep it going.

********
Been a Claret for 59 years; can't tell you how important SD has been. Always salute him as I pass the Royal Dyche pub! Up the Clarets!

********
Chelsea fan here.
Top manager, Dyche.
Gets the very best out of his players, makes good ones better, and average ones compete against the best.
He gets them to play for each other, the shirt, and most importantly, for the supporters.
As the article points out, look at some those he's brought through and where they've ended up.
You wouldn't want to see him go, Burnley fans, but he could do a great job at a club which has big players who are underperforming.
I don't mean Arsenal, they've got too many with talent but none with any guts.
ManU? Definitely.

**********
He'll have them ready. There are a few clubs and managers you're not sure about but not Burnley, not Dyche.

**********
I just think he is brilliant, articulate, inspirational and what a job he has done for Burnley, a top man.

**********
No wonder he's a good manager - he comes across so well

bodge · Post by **bodge** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:45 pm

Le's hope he didn't enjoy his family time too much eh.

Cheers for posting the article.

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:50 pm

An excellent custodian of our very precious club.

ksrclaret · Post by **ksrclaret** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:52 pm

Just over 7 and a half years he has been here now and, despite all the achievements, he's not changed his thinking, mentality or outlook at all. Remarkable.

Buxtonclaret · Post by **Buxtonclaret** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 12:52 pm

He's instilled a lot of good, old fashion honest pride in our club, with humility.
Whatever happens to us, and football in genera post 'virus', this has and still is, a golden era for the club.
Not one I'd ever thought to see again a decade or so ago.
UTC

Firthy · Post by **Firthy** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 1:12 pm

The only problem with the article is that it's like an advert for him. He comes across as a top man who genuinely cares about the club, players and the fans and knows what he's about. I just hope he stays with us for many years to come and that the bigger clubs don't realise just what he could do for them.

MACCA · Post by **MACCA** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 1:15 pm

Thank you for the copy and pasted article, it was a good read.

I wasn't going to read that rag

tarkys_ears · Post by **tarkys_ears** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 1:32 pm

Firthy wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 1:12 pm
The only problem with the article is that it's like an advert for him. He comes across as a top man who genuinely cares about the club, players and the fans and knows what he's about. I just hope he stays with us for many years to come and that the bigger clubs don't realise just what he could do for them.

Eh?

An advert?

I'm quite certain that maybe one or two of the chairmen around the Premier League know a thing or two about him without reading an article...

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 2:07 pm

I’ve read a good few derogatory comments about Dyche, on the message boards of other teams.

I’ve yet to meet one person, when out and about working across the country, who doesn’t rate Dyche highly, and there have been plenty of them.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 2:15 pm

DCWat wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 2:07 pm
I’ve read a good few derogatory comments about Dyche, on the message boards of other teams.

I’ve yet to meet one person, when out and about working across the country, who doesn’t rate Dyche highly, and there have been plenty of them.

There have been a good few derogatory comments about Dyche, on this message board over it's lifetime, but most (not all) have come to learn just how consistently good he has been.

EarbyClaret · Post by **EarbyClaret** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 4:32 pm

Thank you IAmAClaret - that's a great read.

SD comes across as such a grounded character whose deep understanding of football is equally matched by his appreciation of its place and importance in the community - especially our community

Hopefully the past few months have strengthened that already solid bond and mutual commitment between manager and club

Very heartening ahead of the resumption of the PL to know how thoroughly well prepared - both physically and mentally - the group appear to be

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 4:44 pm

Chester Perry wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 2:15 pm
There have been a good few derogatory comments about Dyche, on this message board over it's lifetime, but most (not all) have come to learn just how consistently good he has been.

Very much so either side of Christmas, generally from posters who have now largely disappeared.

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 4:52 pm

Great read that. Hopefully we’ll be reading interviews from him in charge of us for a few more years yet.

Tribesmen · Post by **Tribesmen** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:14 pm

You know what , well i would love to be in an airport lounge and have a beer with Sean just talk not all about football then leave .

He will leave us one way or the other but he will always be remembered for what he did for the town and the club .

JohnMac · Post by **JohnMac** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:15 pm

On the rare occasions he has been doubted by the supporters (me included) the team have bounced back more determined and invariably turned things around and he has never lot his belief in the players to do that. His biggest attributes are his honesty and the lack of 'it's all about me' that some Managers display.

I wouldn't swap him for any other Manager, he is simply the right fit for us.

Blackrod · Post by **Blackrod** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:37 pm

Nothing at all wrong with how Dyche comes across in the media. Very grounded. I actually think he could help in business doing motivational and management talks if he ever leaves football.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:57 pm

Blackrod wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:37 pm
Nothing at all wrong with how Dyche comes across in the media. Very grounded. I actually think he could help in business doing motivational and management talks if he ever leaves football.

He does that kind of thing already, not too often, but is very well regarded for it

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:05 am

JohnMac wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:15 pm
On the rare occasions he has been doubted by the supporters (me included) the team have bounced back more determined and invariably turned things around and he has never lot his belief in the players to do that. His biggest attributes are his honesty and the lack of 'it's all about me' that some Managers display.

I wouldn't swap him for any other Manager, he is simply the right fit for us.

Exactly this. Not another manager in the world I’d rather have.

GodIsADeeJay81 · Post by **GodIsADeeJay81** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:31 am

JohnMac wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 13, 2020 5:15 pm
On the rare occasions he has been doubted by the supporters (me included) the team have bounced back more determined and invariably turned things around and he has never lot his belief in the players to do that. His biggest attributes are his honesty and the lack of 'it's all about me' that some Managers display.

I wouldn't swap him for any other Manager, he is simply the right fit for us.

Hardly rare, it happens pretty much every season.
Usual suspects rock up, spout garbage and then disappear when the team starts performing again.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 10:05 am

Couldn’t agree more about his references to The Last Dance.

That was a truly outstanding production.

I’ve heard Sirius a few times since watching and it genuinely gives hairs stand on end.

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 11:21 am

To me he is destined to be a future England manager
Not for a while yet though I hope. Intelligent, far sighted and inspirational to mention just a few of his qualities. No-one is perfect though and I would say he can be adverse to change. A very minor critisizm.

Danieljwaterhouse · Post by **Danieljwaterhouse** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:10 pm

Dyche would struggle to be a successful England manager in my opinion. He needs the ’group’, to be around them day in and day out. Creating a standalone culture amongst so many competing club cultures is impossible.

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:13 pm

Danieljwaterhouse wrote: ↑
Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:10 pm
Dyche would struggle to be a successful England manager in my opinion. He needs the ’group’, to be around them day in and day out. Creating a standalone culture amongst so many competing club cultures is impossible.

I agree. I think he’d hate it - it’s being with the group, developing the players, forming unity, testing himself in different situations that he seems to love. Outside of a competition, I don’t think he’d gain the satisfaction he gets from being a club manager.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:23 pm

Dyche Out ..............

on the pitches at Barnfield ... getting the mighty Clarets ready for our 9 match run in .... roll on Monday 22nd at The Emptyhad

The most succesful manager at Burnley in probably 2 generations..... OK no "major" silverware but 2 PL promotions including a Championship winning season ......

In Dyche We Trust

Vorsprung Dyche Technik

UTC

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:02 pm

Danieljwaterhouse wrote: ↑
Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:10 pm
Dyche would struggle to be a successful England manager in my opinion. He needs the ’group’, to be around them day in and day out. Creating a standalone culture amongst so many competing club cultures is impossible.

Your probably right but he does have qualities that the bill no question about that.

claret59 · Post by **claret59** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:26 pm

'The most successful manager at Burnley in probably 2 generations..... OK no "major" silverware but 2 PL promotions including a Championship winning season ......'

I would class the Championship win as 'major silverware,' there are a lot of good teams with 'history' in the Championship and it included that marvelous run without a defeat. The season we qualified for Europe was as a result of a final placing in the Premiership of 'being the 'Best of the Rest.' from outside the usual top six.

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Sun Jun 14, 2020 4:37 pm

Bosscat wrote: ↑
Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:23 pm
Dyche Out ..............

on the pitches at Barnfield ... getting the mighty Clarets ready for our 9 match run in .... roll on Monday 22nd at The Emptyhad

The most succesful manager at Burnley in probably 2 generations..... OK no "major" silverware but 2 PL promotions including a Championship winning season ......

In Dyche We Trust

Vorsprung Dyche Technik

UTC

We've achieved the same amount of "major silverware" in the last decade as Spurs, just to put this into perspective, i'd love a major trophy, but they're damned hard to win, even for the bigger clubs, let alone a middling PL side.

I was one of the doubters post-Xmas, and i wondered whether perhaps Sean had lost his magic touch, but just when our backs were against the wall we responded, as we so often do, Sean's not beyond criticism, no manager is, but his record stands as a testament to his methods, clearly something is working, otherwise we wouldn't be looking forwards to a 5th straight PL campaign.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 12:09 am

Thanks for posting the article. Appreciated.

Our man gets it right again ...as does our players and club.

Up the Clarets.

Suratclaret · Post by **Suratclaret** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 3:13 am

Great read about a great manager.

Lord_Bob · Post by **Lord_Bob** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 4:33 am

I think he might make a good England manager. He is smart enough to figure out the different dynamic he is working with. Same reason I don't buy the argument that he wouldn't succeed at a "big" club. The guy is highly intelligent and would figure it out. On the flip side - I have little doubt that Pep would fail at a club like Burnley.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:18 am

Bosscat wrote: ↑
Sun Jun 14, 2020 12:23 pm
Dyche Out ..............

on the pitches at Barnfield ... getting the mighty Clarets ready for our 9 match run in .... roll on Monday 22nd at The Emptyhad

The most succesful manager at Burnley in probably 2 generations..... OK no "major" silverware but 2 PL promotions including a Championship winning season ......

In Dyche We Trust

Vorsprung Dyche Technik

UTC

Yes big trophy for winning the 'proper league'.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:21 am

Lord_Bob wrote: ↑
Mon Jun 15, 2020 4:33 am
I think he might make a good England manager. He is smart enough to figure out the different dynamic he is working with. Same reason I don't buy the argument that he wouldn't succeed at a "big" club. The guy is highly intelligent and would figure it out. On the flip side - I have little doubt that Pep would fail at a club like Burnley.

Actually, of all the 'managers wot spend', Mr Guardiola might be the one who could coach to decent success, relatively speaking.

Bertiebeehead · Post by **Bertiebeehead** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 2:17 pm

The mans a ******* legend

Claret Toni · Post by **Claret Toni** » Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:25 pm

Huge respect for Sean, but not sure he's the right man for England.

...what with all those knock out competions