We’re trying to make sure we do all the things it takes
Burnley face Watford tonight with Walter Mazzari the fourth Italian manager to pit his wits against us following Fernando Guidolin (Swansea), Antonio Conte (Chelsea) and Claudio Ranieri (Leicester).
Mazzari, who is in his first season at Watford, said: “They (Burnley) are going to be very charged after we beat Manchester United and it will be very important for them to win against us. Maybe they will be a little bit aggressive towards us and I think it is going to be a difficult away game.
“We have big respect for Burnley. They have won against Liverpool and they have shown they are a strong side. That is what we need to reflect on.
“They won against a big team like Liverpool, so we need to understand how they won and how well they played. It is not going to be an easy away game.”
Given his time at Watford, Sean Dyche was questioned on it by journalists who I’m sure were hoping for some bitter comments from the Burnley boss who was sacked when the new owners came in, but far from it.
“It’s well documented I’ve always had respect for the club,” Dyche said. “The situation, the business changed etc. but I mean every word when I saw I had a fantastic time there as player, youth coach, assistant manager and manager.
“Because business changes and you lose your job it doesn’t mean I hold any baggage at all, I certainly don’t. It’s a lot of water under the bridge and they’ve gone on to become a Premier League club so their model of working has worked for them.”
He explained that the squad had taken a day way earlier in the week to help with the team bonding. They went to the West Midlands and trained at Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Heath Training Ground before moving on to the Belfry for a round of golf for those in the group so inclined and overall he viewed the extra two days as positive.
He said: “We’d had a couple of the lads come in later. It gives them a few more days training with the players, getting used to the culture and environment we set here. Just getting used to life really at Burnley, particularly with Jeff coming in and Patrick, it’s just getting a bit more time to work with the group.”
“We got the lads away for a day as well, working it must be said with a training session as well so we are trying to add in all the different things.
“We’re trying to make sure we do all the things it takes to just not have the team tactically aware but also be a real group and a real team as we think that’s a vitally important part.
“There has to be a real team element. It’s part of the bond of Burnley. We’ve had it from the terraces, the people of Burnley and that recognised group of players and the connection with the fans. I think that’s important but we also need the connection with each other as a team. That will help us going forwards.”
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