Tarkowski interview

[ksrclaret]

Whatever your preference on players being refreshingly honest about their ambitions, or players keeping things in house and getting on quietly, it's clear we are a club totally divided now from top to bottom.

A club whose biggest strength was once it's unity and one club mentality. What a shame things have deteriorated to such an extent.

[Giftonsnoidea]

I don’t know why the club would turn down £35m given this situation but as usually the case with all this stuff we might not be party to all the detail and it’s easy to make incorrect assumptions about any offers or the situation internally....but on the face of things it’s hard to understand why we turned down big offers in the situation we seem to be in.

Probably because our recruitment team are a shambles and Dyche knew there was no one on the radar as good as him to replace him. We really need to get rid of the whole department and get someone competent in asap

[Grumps]

Do you think that any club who would be trying to sign him would have been unaware of this if they hadn't read it in the paper?

.... Or selling club adding a few Mill because they know we're desperate... It puts it out there, which it shouldn't be.
Try publishing your employers confidential business dealings and see what happens.

[Top Claret]

How can a recruitment team recruit when they have no money?

[Paul Waine]

James Tarkowski exclusive: Why I am refusing to sign new Burnley contract
Tarkowski wants to take back control after Burnley turned down offers from West Ham and league leaders Leicester in the last transfer window

By Matt Law,

James Tarkowski has described why he has turned down a new Burnley contract in a bid to take back control of his own career, following the club’s decision to once again deny the central defender a big move away.

Burnley turned down offers in excess of £30 million for Tarkowski from West Ham United and Premier League leaders Leicester City in the last transfer window.

Tarkowski has made it clear that he has ambitions to play European football, but that did not stop Burnley making him a new contract offer in the last few weeks.

But Tarkowski has no intention of re-signing with the Clarets, as the 27 year-old moves towards the final 18 months of his current deal that expires in 2022.

Revealing the contract offer exclusively to Telegraph Sport, Tarkowski said: “Burnley offered me a contract near the start of last season, which, for me personally, it was nowhere near what I was going to sign and I think the club understood. And they’ve come back again this year, and still, for me, it’s just not right.

“Finances do matter, but, at this particular stage, whatever path I take I will get financially rewarded so the financial side is not even in my thinking at the moment. It’s more about my football.”

Leicester failed with bids for Tarkowski in each of the past two summer transfer windows and the former Brentford man added: “We’ve had two transfer windows now where the club have decided, for whatever reason, that whatever has been offered on the table hasn’t been enough and that’s fine because I signed a contract for four-and-a-half years. So I won’t whinge or not turn up, I just need to deal with it and get on with my football.

“But the longer my contract runs down, I feel I gain the control of my career more than Burnley having the control of it, which is what I feel like I need right now.

“There is nothing I have heard or has been put to me that makes me think there is a scenario in which I would sign a new contract at Burnley. That can change, but currently that is the situation.”

Tarkowski has already proved that he will not allow Burnley’s refusal to sell him or his future to impact his performances, having helped the team, who are still looking for their first League win of the season, keep a clean sheet against Brighton at the weekend.

Premier League 2020/21 latest standings (bottom five)
English Premier League
Team P W D L GD Pts
16 Brighton and Hove Albion 8 1 3 4 -3 6
17 Fulham 8 1 1 6 -8 4
18 West Bromwich Albion 8 0 3 5 -11 3
19 Burnley 7 0 2 5 -9 2
20 Sheffield United 8 0 1 7 -10 1

Since making his Premier League debut for Burnley in 2016, Tarkowski is in the top five players for blocks, clearances and aerial duels won. It’s not hard to see why David Moyes and Brendan Rodgers were so keen to sign him.

“In terms of playing, nothing changes,” said Tarkowski. “My desire to want to be at my best for me and for the team never changes. I’ve got relationships at Burnley that I will want to keep for the rest of my life, so for me to just down tools and say, ‘this is it’, it wouldn’t be right and I wouldn’t want to. I want to perform for Burnley, they have given me a great opportunity to play in the Premier League, something which I’ve loved over the last four years.

“I signed a contract and I’ve got to stick to that and play it out, and I want to give my best for Burnley. I’m not just going to let it be a case of getting the next year or whatever out of the way.”

In terms of his relationship with the Burnley fans, Tarkowski said: “Burnley is a really close club and I like to think I’ve always had a tight relationship with the fans, and I wouldn’t want that to change because I have such a lot of respect for them. I hope they also appreciate that I’ll always do my best for the club, but also that I will want to do the best for myself.

“If there are fans who are upset with me for not wanting to sign a new contract, then it’s their opinion and I understand they want the best for Burnley first and foremost. Just because I won’t sign a new contract, doesn’t mean it takes away from the commitment I have to my current contract.

“I’m not bitter about the last transfer window, what happened happened. I will never hold it against the club. That’s up to them, but the longer this goes on the more control I get of my own career which is what I want. I want to be able to decide where I am, where I’m going and who I’m playing for. That’s nothing against Burnley, but this is a short career and I’m not getting younger. I’m coming into my late 20s now and I want to experience as much as I can in the game before I retire.

“The last window is obviously a missed opportunity for me. If clubs can’t get the player they want then they will go elsewhere and sign someone else, but I don’t worry too much about it because I’ve got great belief in myself.”

Despite his excellent club form, which earned him a place in the whoscored.com European team of last season, Tarkowski continues to be ignored by England manager Gareth Southgate and he is realistic enough to acknowledge that staying at Burnley has probably not helped his chance of a recall.

“It looks that way,” said Tarkowski. “I had a really good year last year and didn’t get the call-up, so maybe for now, yes, it’s going to be difficult, but that’s not me giving up on that dream of getting back involved.

“It’s probably quite fair to think that if you’re at a club sitting top of the Premier League, you’ve got a better chance of getting into the squad, but it hasn’t worked out that way. I’m not giving up though, there are just people ahead of me at the moment.”

Nothing wrong with anything James Tarkowski has said in this article. It's always important that people want to achieve the best for themselves - if they don't, no employer will get the best out of them either, whatever area the employee/employer is working in.

As for the last transfer window, the evidence we have is that Sean Dyche wanted to keep Tarks at Burnley - and that may be the only reason why the offers that were reported to have been made by West Ham and Leicester were declined. (No one can do anything about the 27.5% sell-on clause that would split any transfer fee with Brentford, it is waht it is).

We've got one of the best CB pairings in the Premier League, Tarks and Ben Mee. A couple of years back it was Ben Mee who was looking to move to a bigger club, we shouldn't be surprised that Tarks is now looking to do the same. At this stage, they are both still with us. Let's enjoy it while we can and appreciate the good seasons they've both been with the Clarets.

UTC

[bfccrazy]

Tbf, I’m surprised it’s taken this long to actually “come out” this.

It’s been going on behind the scenes for ages.

[bodge]

Wonder if Joe Worrall's injury had any part of this saga, he's still out with a foot injury after 8 weeks.

I'm not suggesting he's in Tarky's class by any stretch but he may have been a possible target replacement.

[jrgbfc]

Tbf, I’m surprised it’s taken this long to actually “come out” this.

It’s been going on behind the scenes for ages.

Is it that much of a surprise? It's been obvious since the summer he wouldn't be signing a new deal with us.

[Elizabeth]

The important thing to remember is that even though it's just a toe injury, an injury to the big toe can be a big problem

[Woodleyclaret]

No sale till Summer then its £50m
Why the fuss
Look at bringing Jimmy Dunne through by using him as a sub

[DomBFC1882]

No sale till Summer then its £50m
Why the fuss
Look at bringing Jimmy Dunne through by using him as a sub

We hardly make subs as it is let alone rotating cbs for the sake of it. Play your best team and pray we have someone decent lined up in the summer

[Claretnick]

Wonder if Joe Worrall's injury had any part of this saga, he's still out with a foot injury after 8 weeks.

I'm not suggesting he's in Tarky's class by any stretch but he may have been a possible target replacement.

Or maybe the plan was for Gibson to get settled into the club and then allow Tarks to move on. Gibson's injury and then subsequent dissatisfaction with the management put paid to that plan.

[Dark Cloud]

No sale till Summer then its £50m
Why the fuss
Look at bringing Jimmy Dunne through by using him as a sub

The problem is that for all his talk of "I won't let it affect how I perform for Burnley" (paraphrase) it's absolutely bound to. We clearly should have taken the best of several decent bids, even if they weren't right up with what we ideally would have wanted, because that money could have put to very good use in the transfer market and we wouldn't be carrying on with someone rapidly diminishing in value and who's heart is increasingly not in it. Poor business all round imo.

[Row Z]

The problem is that for all his talk of "I won't let it affect how I perform for Burnley" (paraphrase) it's absolutely bound to. We clearly should have taken the best of several decent bids, even if they weren't right up with what we ideally would have wanted, because that money could have put to very good use in the transfer market and we wouldn't be carrying on with someone rapidly diminishing in value and who's heart is increasingly not in it. Poor business all round imo.

Do not agree with this being poor business. To make that judgement would require knowledge of who we could have got lined in as a replacement. It would have been dreadful business to have accepted a below valuation bid for a key player without replacements lined up.

Having tarky in our defence improves our chances of staying up immeasurably. He's got 2 years left on his deal so has the potential to secure us 3 years of premier league football. What is that worth - c.£450m?

Likely to have been the best bit of business of the transfer window keeping him.

[Devils_Advocate]

To be honest he's too good to playing in the Championship so he's gotta go in either Jan or next summer

[expoultryboy]

The board and Dyche must of know in the summer that Tarks wanted to leave , and probably would of been allowed to ( 30m plus ) but for Mee being injured . There was no way the club could of started the season with both of them missing . Maybe if he'd been told he could leave in January , he wouldn't have made the interview and we'd have plenty of time to search for a replacement . Tarks has been a great player for us , so i wish him well for the future .

[Dark Cloud]

Do not agree with this being poor business. To make that judgement would require knowledge of who we could have got lined in as a replacement. It would have been dreadful business to have accepted a below valuation bid for a key player without replacements lined up.

Having tarky in our defence improves our chances of staying up immeasurably. He's got 2 years left on his deal so has the potential to secure us 3 years of premier league football. What is that worth - c.£450m?

Likely to have been the best bit of business of the transfer window keeping him.

Potentially the best bit of business maybe, but also potentially the worst because the seed is there and out in the open that he really wanted to move on and was thwarted, in his eyes by the club and psychologically he's already looking at his next step. In that situation, despite his best efforts, can he really keep giving what he has given up to now?? If I'd seen this before the window closed and i was in charge I'd have taken the best offer and run and I definitely agree with you, I'd have had replacements/targets in mind and tbh, personally, I'd have been building bridges with Gibson because he was likely to be the best answer.

[dougcollins]

You know what, I could have guessed all that without reading it, but just by watching him play.

It's easy to say 'It won't affect my game'.

He needs moving on sharpish.

[CnBtruntru]

Anyone blame him, we would all do the same if it was work. I would hope we sell him first and get a few quid in the bank from his transfer.

[Elizabeth]

Managers have to forgive a lot when it comes to players. Gibson must have overstepped the mark by a long way and for the board to support Dyche in this way can only mean that the player let the club down massively.

[Grumps]

The board and Dyche must of know in the summer that Tarks wanted to leave , and probably would of been allowed to ( 30m plus ) but for Mee being injured . There was no way the club could of started the season with both of them missing . Maybe if he'd been told he could leave in January , he wouldn't have made the interview and we'd have plenty of time to search for a replacement . Tarks has been a great player for us , so i wish him well for the future .

We did start the season without them both did we not?

[Row Z]

Potentially the best bit of business maybe, but also potentially the worst because the seed is there and out in the open that he really wanted to move on and was thwarted, in his eyes by the club and psychologically he's already looking at his next step. In that situation, despite his best efforts, can he really keep giving what he has given up to now?? If I'd seen this before the window closed and i was in charge I'd have taken the best offer and run and I definitely agree with you, I'd have had replacements/targets in mind and tbh, personally, I'd have been building bridges with Gibson because he was likely to be the best answer.

I recall posters on here suggesting Dyche had threatened to walk if he was sold, which would suggest we had nobody lined up and without him we are much weaker.

Immediate performances may be impacted, but I suspect he'll pick up as the disappointment of the move dies down and he realises he needs to be on top of his game to give himself the best options for future moves. That can only be to our benefit.

[Dark Cloud]

Totally agree that there will be nothing in there that SD or anyone on the board didn't know before the summer, so to play hard ball and try to screw a few extra millions out of Leicester or West Ham or whoever was therefore a bit silly imo. They should have let an ambitious and unsettled player, who had given excellent service, move on for what would always have been an extremely hefty fee (with some serious add ons!!)

[jrgbfc]

No sale till Summer then its £50m
Why the fuss
Look at bringing Jimmy Dunne through by using him as a sub

Nobody is going to pay anywhere near 50 million for him when he's only got 12 months left and they know we're desperate to sell.

[Darthlaw]

I love the “We’ve had two transfer windows now where the club have decided, for whatever reason, that whatever has been offered on the table hasn’t been enough" part.

Simply put, Jimbo, the clubs you want to move to don't value you highly enough. Neither does the England manager. Off you pop to check how green their grass is, though...

[Rileybobs]

Quite a number of people on here saying we should have sold him in the last transfer window. Where were you at the time?

[Devils_Advocate]

Quite a number of people on here saying we should have sold him in the last transfer window. Where were you at the time?

[Dark Cloud]

Quite a number of people on here saying we should have sold him in the last transfer window. Where were you at the time?

I fairness Rileybobs, those people hadn't seen that interview at the time and didn't realise quite how strongly he felt about wanting away.

[boatshed bill]

Sometimes I wonder if the club really understands the mechanics of the EPL.

[Rileybobs]

I fairness Rileybobs, those people hadn't seen that interview at the time and didn't realise quite how strongly he felt about wanting away.

I thought it was fairly obvious when he gave an interview after not being selected for an England squad in September. We received bids from Leicester and West Ham shortly afterwards which suggested pretty strongly at the time that he was open to a move away. At the end of the day, most players will be open to a move to a bigger club on more money.

Those saying we should have sold him in summer would no doubt have been there to criticise the board if we had - particularly when Dyche strongly voiced his desire to keep Tarks.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Saw the interview this morning and assumed Dyche had signed it off, seems quite unlikely a Dyche stalwart would upset him to that degree.

Due to agents the only people not to know this were the fans, other teams would have known his wishes all along. Going to Leicester at this time would have been perfect for him.

I respect the candour in one sense though it must be easier with no fans on the ground to jeer. It is quite rare you get a player stating they want to move on but committing to respect the contract they are on. I don’t see any difference to the problem the club faces whether or not he did that interview.

[JTClaret]

I'd say the team spirit that made the team really tick - That Barton and Heaton regularly spoke about has gone.
It doesn't look good for us as a club going forward when there appears to be disappointment and frustration throughout the club.

[Hibsclaret]

I just wish someone else was in control of my multi million pound a year career...

With the way the world is now you would expect to hear very little from footballers beyond the stuff that Rashford is doing, for example.

There’s plenty of people not in control of their career because they have been laid off.

[Elizabeth]

With respect Barton and Heaton have been gone a couple of seasons and that team spirit has still survived. Stop inventing stuff!

[Zlatan]

With respect Barton and Heaton have been gone a couple of seasons and that team spirit has still survived. Stop inventing stuff!

With (no) respect, I don’t think it was inferred that Barton and Heaton were the source of the good team spirit, but only that they had both referred to it in interviews since they left

[Jakubclaret]

Managers have to forgive a lot when it comes to players. Gibson must have overstepped the mark by a long way and for the board to support Dyche in this way can only mean that the player let the club down massively.

You sure do understatements, overstepped the mark you could say that adam & eve somebody returning back to the club to train after being sold within a short space of time it’s a new 1.

[Elizabeth]

You're simply summising again zlatan and if you agree with others that all is bad within the club that's up to you.
If you will forgive me I think that reports of the clubs death are greatly exaggerated

[Elizabeth]

Thing is Jakub, it's not really funny is it? It's really p*ssed us all off if the truth be known

[DomBFC1882]

Matters not as we're going down anyway. Just need to plan ahead for the Championship next season and identify our targets early and more importantly bring them in earlier in the window

[Elizabeth]

And you know that we're going down Dom?
Pray, tell us how this sad happening will take place, will it be swift?

[DomBFC1882]

And you know that we're going down Dom?
Pray, tell us how this sad happening will take place, will it be swift?

As certain as one could be based on all the evidence in front of me

[Elizabeth]

Dom, we will both be acknowledging another season in the PL next year.
And the bitter irony will be that you will be happy and I will be sad that we will have to endure another year in the cesspot that is the PL.

[Jakubclaret]

Thing is Jakub, it's not really funny is it? It's really p*ssed us all off if the truth be known

It is what it is, the situation with mee should have been done & dusted & BG coming in as a understudy after, he arrived too early when the situation was undecided as a replacement rather than additional cover, it's been done to death on multiple threads tbh & every man & his dog have shared various opinions.

[Elizabeth]

Yeh, you're right.

I think what has messed with a lot of fans mindsets is that Keane and Tarkowski had to wait on the bench for a long time before getting their place. Once they came in they were big successes, and it seemed Dyche had somehow managed to replicate what the likes of greats like Shankly had done.

[leelad]

It's a pity that he could not have made his feelings known about his contract situation in private rather than public. Especially at this present time amidst the backdrop of an important two week period for the squad to regroup and reset before the next block of games. I have no problem with his comments, but to what extent does all of this affect a person mentally when they cross that white line and play for your team? It must take a strong character and someone with an extremely high level of loyalty to the club to continue giving 100 per cent for the cause even when you know deep down that you have different plans for the future.

[Longsidebogs]

We need to get him out of the club as soon as possible now. His heart is not in it despite his B.S.
Why should Burnley Football Club accept offers of £30m when players like McGuire go for £90m? I’m glad we stuck to our guns. Get him gone in January. Get Jimmy Dunne in and let’s see what he can do. We have nothing to lose at the moment. No happy clapper comments please. It’s just my opinion.

[Nonayforever]

For me, this interview encapsulates everything that is wrong with the "management" of our club. In particular Sean Dyche.

Tarks has got the go ahead to make the interview, there is nothing wrong with his thoughts, every player with ambition thinks the same.
Publishing his thoughts in a national newspaper is designed for one purpose - to discredit the chairman.

Dyche is financially ruining the club. Tarks won't stay at Burnley for any price, double his wages - he won't stay, he has said why. Only Dyche can't accept that reason. The same scenario happened with Hendrick - we should have got a fee 12 months ago and moved on, instead Dyche lost Burnley £10 million or whatever.
Garlick would, if he could, sack Dyche tomorrow morning - the proposed takeover is preventing that. It appears that retaining Dyche is key.

We are sadly in a ever decreasing circle that, in my mind has been created by Dyche.
And to maintain the balance of my post - i think Dyche has done an amazing job on the field.

[JohnMcGreal]

What makes people so sure that an interview like this would have to be 'signed off' by senior management at the club?

I'm sure Tarkowski is free to talk to whoever he likes. His club and manager might not be happy when they find out about it, and he might get a slap on the wrist or even a fine, but the club can't actually stop a player from talking to a reporter.

[claretonthecoast1882]

For me, this interview encapsulates everything that is wrong with the "management" of our club. In particular Sean Dyche.

Tarks has got the go ahead to make the interview, there is nothing wrong with his thoughts, every player with ambition thinks the same.
Publishing his thoughts in a national newspaper is designed for one purpose - to discredit the chairman.

Dyche is financially ruining the club. Tarks won't stay at Burnley for any price, double his wages - he won't stay, he has said why. Only Dyche can't accept that reason. The same scenario happened with Hendrick - we should have got a fee 12 months ago and moved on, instead Dyche lost Burnley £10 million or whatever.
Garlick would, if he could, sack Dyche tomorrow morning - the proposed takeover is preventing that. It appears that retaining Dyche is key.

We are sadly in a ever decreasing circle that, in my mind has been created by Dyche.
And to maintain the balance of my post - i think Dyche has done an amazing job on the field.

Never ceases to be funny when someone makes up some guff then passes it off as fact

[Stayingup]

If he'd gone to Leicester he'd be in a team sat top of the league right now. He'd be in the Engkand team as well probably. As it is he's in a team looking like they're heading for relegation and at a club riven with issues and divided. He will have seen how the careers of Trippier, Keane (latterly etc have blossomed at bigger clubs He will go no doubt. But then again that used to be the Burnley way, buy and sell on a profit. Still holds for him but Vydra and Gibson???

All in all its another blow to the club.