If Dyche keeps us up this season is it his greatest achievement

[tiger76]

Simple and I'd say it would certainly rank up there with the 13/14 promotion season, considering everything he's had to deal with over the past few months, doubts over the takeover, then no incomings, and a lengthy injury list to contend with to add to his problems, and despite all these hurdles we look like surviving for a 5th straight season, so for all those calling for Dyche's head, just think on all this before you shout for him to go, and be careful what you wish for.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

That first promotion season, after having to sell Austin and sign some freebies...

Finishing 7th in the PL.

Those are 2 better achievements than this.

[Rileybobs]

No, far from it.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

Agree with GIADJ.
We have had a difficult year but so have many other clubs. Thankfully our back 5 and their back ups have been as sound as we expect. Midfield has been decent and forwards have been off their best but severely disrupted.

[Bin Ont Turf]

It wouldn't even crack the top 5.

[Steve1956]

No...in out time in the Premier league this is the worst for quality....we should be staying up this season easily

[jurek]

No, not in terms of overall quality of play.

Yes we've had our fair share of injuries but so have others.
Ours came during the first 6 or so games when we were looking
very poor and couldn't get a win and without Tarks and Mee for
some time.
Since then we've acquired 25/26 points in 15/16 games.
Solid mid-table form. But then we finished last season comfortably mid table
and lost 3 from the squad and one regular starter, Hendricks replaced by Stephens
who hasn't started many if any games.
So, a weaker squad than last year but basically the same starting 11 or so.
But I don't think we've played as well this season as last and we've certainly
struggled to score and create many chances.

It'll be a significant achievement in many ways but not the greatest.
Finishing 7th is for me, Dyches greatest achievement.

[houseboy]

No because there is no if about it. You are still falling victim to the ‘we could get relegated’ idea. How many more times, relegation isn’t even a consideration. FFS have some faith and confidence.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE RELEGATED.
Our aim for the rest of the season is to see how high we can finish. Mid table is looking pretty odds on.

[houseboy]

No...in out time in the Premier league this is the worst for quality....we should be staying up this season easily

Well said Steve mate. I’m sick of all this ‘we need to avoid...’ crap. If we get relegated I promise that I will never post on this site again, I am that certain.

[Woodleyclaret]

No bouncing straight back after relegation and our win at Charlton to confirm us, (despite the Football league) as Champions

[beddie]

It's up there with everything that's gone on but 7th for me to date will take some beating. I just hope he's still with us for sometime yet and we're given the opportunity to see him spend some real money.

[claretandy]

1, First promotion
2, Finishing 7th
3, Second promotion
4, Staying up first time
5, Staying up after Europe
6, Finishing 10th
7, This season

[box_of_frogs]

Well said Steve mate. I’m sick of all this ‘we need to avoid...’ crap. If we get relegated I promise that I will never post on this site again, I am that certain.

Whilst I agree we probably won’t go down, our god awful style of play and inability to create and convert chances is not what will keep us up. It’s just that 3 teams are worse than us at keeping the ball out of their net.

[MACCA]

Nope, 1 team got relegated by November, 1 other is awful and conceed 2.5 goals a game.

We basically need to finish 2nd bottom in an 18 team division.

[jojomk1]

But would he have been able to mastermind a win against Orient ?

[Burnley1989]

Simple and I'd say it would certainly rank up there with the 13/14 promotion season, considering everything he's had to deal with over the past few months, doubts over the takeover, then no incomings, and a lengthy injury list to contend with to add to his problems, and despite all these hurdles we look like surviving for a 5th straight season, so for all those calling for Dyche's head, just think on all this before you shout for him to go, and be careful what you wish for.

I read comments on here like ‘all those calling for his head’ and it sounds like theres loads...

Perhaps I’m naive but I’d say it’s an extremely small minority, maybe even less than 20 posters when things weren’t going well...
I agree some get fed up of the style of play and have a moan at times (even I’ve been guilty) but I don’t know one family, member or friend that would want Dyche out.

[AlargeClaret]

It’s tougher than most can imagine , with no investment at all last year and an aging injury ridden squad of ( mainly ) very mediocre “ prem level “ players .Tougher than the promotion seasons ( great though they were ) probs not quite the level of our 7th place but “ top 3” imo with the 1st promotion and the “ staying up” season vying for honours .

[wooooosh]

But would he have been able to mastermind a win against Orient ?

....... or Bournemouth

[Bigvince]

I don’t no where this season will rank, but one thing is for sure, SD keeps racking up the achievements. Whatever obstacles are put in his way he seems to find a way of overcoming them. Long may his reign continue UTC

[fatboy47]

Tend to agree with OP..... Its becoming increasingly clear that he's been well and truly shafted by MG/JB over the last 18 months..
There's been more background noise to deal with.. Covid/takeover/injuries within a threadbare squad... You name it.
In the midst of this the whole ethos of the club looks like its about to be turned upside down....and it's priority will be built around debt servicing rather than any local identity...
I do wonder sometimes how he's kept us punching.

[evensteadiereddie]

....... or Bournemouth

Or Palace away...

[Tribesmen]

Nope 7th was the year

[NottsClaret]

The thing with Dyche is, he manages the same all the time. He's like his teams, remarkably consistent. Whether we call it a great season or an average season, it's mostly down to how much they give him to spend that year and fortune with injuries. It's not like he's on a wild rollercoaster ride, a genius one minute and a flop the next.

He never gets up and down about one result, I'm not even sure he gets too dramatic about one season. He just seems to plough on, trying to win the next game. Maybe the odd grumble and occasional smile for balance.

[RalphCoatesComb]

Remaining undefeated against the Bar stewards !

Mayor of Proudsville

[Garnerssoap]

Nope. Winning at Ewood and making Whalley liveable again.

[Colburn_Claret]

I think we'd be comfortable this season, if it wasn't for the injuries. The short mid season break, the fixture congestion have had a big influence on every club. We suffer more than most because of the size of our squad, and our injury list is worse than anyone else's.
The first season we retained our Premier league spot, has to be his greatest though.

[nyclaret]

We have been very fortunate with the quality (or lack thereof) of the teams below us.

[wooooosh]

Or Palace away...

......or Liverpool away, or Arsenal away. I get that and it's brilliant but our performance in that Bournemouth game still winds me up a bit.

[wooooosh]

Or Palace away...

......or Liverpool away, or Arsenal away. I get that and it's brilliant but our performance in that Bournemouth game still winds me up a bit.

[warksclaret]

Personally I feel this year , if we stay up is as good as any. One point after 6 games, and all other PL sides strengthening immensely in the last 3 windows (us just Brownhill and a bench warmer), but its all down to opinions

[Stalbansclaret]

After 8 games of this season, and with 2 points on board after a lifeless transfer window and the takeover dragging on in the background I thought exactly this. I just could not see us staying up at that point and only a belief in the power of Dyche gave me hope. He has produced again and, assuming we do now stay up, it's just one of many great achievements. Finishing 7th and qualifying for Europe has to be his best achievement though. Incredible times.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Far from his greatest achievement. Getting us into Europe was surely that?

We go on about our poor start this season, but we should remember we had four of the top sides in that first six (Leicester, Chelsea, Spurs and Southampton who were top in the first part and flying). Our other two games were both away, West Brom and Newcastle, and we drew the former which isn’t a bad result.

So this to me is a routine season, easily staying up with nothing exciting apart from a couple of surprise shocks.

[SalisburyClaret]

It’s great to have so many achievements to choose from!

[bobinho]

No. Europa league.

[dibraidio]

In 2019 we had a wage bill of 86 million. Put that into context, in 2017 our wage bill was 61 million and in 2016 just 27 million.
Strikes me that as of 2019 Dyche had spent all of his budget (we only made 5m profit despite hardly signing anyone and selling a few players).
If there is little or no wiggle room that is down to Dyche.

Other than the initial premier league windfall we have only invested in players when we have had money in from player sales, I'm sure we wouldn't have spent as much had we not got such good money for Andre Gray and Michael Keane.

With such a high wage bill releasing the likes of Hart and Lennon will have give Sean a bit of leeway but with such a high wage bill it's difficult to free up funds without selling an asset like Tarky or Dwight which Dyche didn't want to do.

I can't help thinking that Dyche has painted himself into a corner and he's trying to show what a good manager he is by working within the constraints but actually the situation is as much of his making as anyone's. Unfortunately the style of football that we play is not endearing us to anyone and I don't think it'll do the Sean Dyche "brand" much good either.

I'm sure that Sean won't be in consideration for Manager of the year like he has been in the past. That'll probably go to Scott Parker.

[SouthLondonexile]

Every season he has kept us in the premiership has been a super achievement.
For me his best effort was getting us promoted with those free transfers such as Dave Jones, and the fee for Ashley Barnes. Total spend £450,000!

[houseboy]

Whilst I agree we probably won’t go down, our god awful style of play and inability to create and convert chances is not what will keep us up. It’s just that 3 teams are worse than us at keeping the ball out of their net.

I can’t quite agree with that because I genuinely believe there will be far more than 3 teams below us come season’s end. I agree about our style although without the Wood/Barnes partnership of late it has improved quite a bit. Perhaps, as suggested on another thread, that partnership is past its sell-by date. Wood is good but with Barnes I’m not convinced. Barnes himself looks better with a different partner.
I think there are worse teams than us but we are in dire need of young blood come Summer.

[Woodleyclaret]

No style no substance?Well I thought we had both in spades to brush past Palace
Some fans are never happy

[ClaretTony]

Unfortunately the style of football that we play is not endearing us to anyone and I don't think it'll do the Sean Dyche "brand" much good either.

I'm sure that Sean won't be in consideration for Manager of the year like he has been in the past. That'll probably go to Scott Parker.

Can't agree with that at all.

As for his greatest achievement. It's been a tough season with the injuries etc. and the lack of signings, partly his fault, but I'd think the first promotion, keeping us up in 2017 and then into Europe in 2018 were astonishing achievements.

[jojomk1]

Just to put some perspective on the Europa League season
That was the lowest number of points for 7th place (54) in the last 12 years
Standard of teams in the league that year were pretty poor and for the first time in an age all three promoted teams actually stayed up
It was good, but not that good

Given our lack of transfer business and injuries this has, so far, been a good year and let's hope it remains so

[ClaretTony]

Just to put some perspective on the Europa League season
That was the lowest number of points for 7th place (54) in the last 12 years
Standard of teams in the league that year were pretty poor and for the first time in an age all three promoted teams actually stayed up
It was good, but not that good

Just to put more perspective on it - we finished 7th and got into the Europa League qualifiers. It's not relevant how strong you think the league was that season or who did and didn't go down.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Just to put some perspective on the Europa League season
That was the lowest number of points for 7th place (54) in the last 12 years
Standard of teams in the league that year were pretty poor and for the first time in an age all three promoted teams actually stayed up
It was good, but not that good

Given our lack of transfer business and injuries this has, so far, been a good year and let's hope it remains so

Probably better off just saying we were lucky, just like we are lucky every year we stay up, just as we were to win at Arsenal and the win at Liverpool.

Funny how we are never unlucky though when something goes wrong then it quickly changes to we are ****

[jojomk1]

Just to put more perspective on it - we finished 7th and got into the Europa League qualifiers. It's not relevant how strong you think the league was that season or who did and didn't go down.

Not relevant ?

Wow

[brexit]

No it will be getting another job at the end of the season when we are relegated, fined 10 points for going into administration and Luchi Gonzalez becomes our manager

[Vegas Claret]

" so for all those calling for Dyche's head"

who is calling for his head ? I've genuinely not read anything along those lines for ages

[Hibsclaret]

Just to put some perspective on the Europa League season
That was the lowest number of points for 7th place (54) in the last 12 years
Standard of teams in the league that year were pretty poor and for the first time in an age all three promoted teams actually stayed up
It was good, but not that good

Given our lack of transfer business and injuries this has, so far, been a good year and let's hope it remains so

How about the perspective of not having been in Europe for 51 years or when the maximum wage had been abolished just 6 years earlier. There is always nonsense spouted in terms of quality of the leagues at various points but it could be argued that we could and possibly should have finished very close to Arsenal had we not downed tools for the last 5 games and been shafted by the refs in games against them. Also, the bottom 3 all had at least 31 points suggesting there was none of the relegated teams detached and Man City got 100 points which, I think was the first time that was done, therefore, a pretty special team with Silva and De Bruyne in their pomp

[careyclaret]

Looking at it from a different perspective i would say his single greatest achievement is the discipline he has instilled in the club. We routinely collect fewer yellow cards than most other clubs which allows players to play the game with greater freedom and by my count in his time in the premier league we have only had 3 red cards and one of those was over turned on appeal. The contribution of this to our points total each season can't be calculated but surely is considerable.

[Bosscat]

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[Pstotto]

Re-the op, this side might be at the bottom of the championship, but for Dyche.

I looked at the fixtures in Januaury and thought that come the end of March, if we're not in a relegation place, we will have done well and can survive.

But they seem to be going downhill a bit.

[BOYSIE31]

Whatever happens it will be his last season