Austin must be in England's thoughts - Dyche

Austin played under Dyche at Turf Moor for just over half a season, before being sold to QPR to balance the books on the eve of the 2013/14 season.

He scored 10 of his 28 goals that season after Dyche took over from Eddie Howe, which remains his most prolific campaign in professional football to date.

Dyche tried to add a few more strings to the prolific goalscorer's bow, and, will have to try and find a way to stop the Southampton striker on Sunday at St Mary's.

Dyche looked back on his time working with Austin at Turf Moor: “He developed a lot when he was here.

“I didn’t see him before so much, I played against him as a manager and a coach, but when you work with someone it’s different.

“Just when he got sold, he’d had a really good pre-season, he was in great shape, there was an obvious partnership beginning to build with Ingsy.

“He was adding to his all round game and he’s gone on, through himself and coaching input as well.

“The main thing with Charlie he’s had a life of not proving people wrong but of adapting to the next challenge and he seems to have done that really well, whatever that challenge is.

“He seems to continue to score goals and be a competitor.

“He has a real competitive edge and that’s something he probably did learn in the lower leagues, and when he got a chance to build his name in the leagues he’s done it.

“To come through the injuries he’s had, he’s had some tough injuries, but he’s resilient and he finds a way of getting on with his game and nicking his goals."

Austin has five goals in eight games so far this season, back in the Premier League with the Saints, after an 18-goal season at this level with QPR two years ago, and Dyche feels he could make the step up and earn full England recognition: “There’s a little pool of strikers you can throw in the mix for England.

“When I was a kid the pool was massive because of the number of English players playing in the top league.

"Now it’s shrunk down.

“I think Charlie and Troy (Deeney) would be amongst the thought process, that’s for sure."