Burnley boss Sean Dyche determined to switch off and recharge ahead of quick turnaround

Sean Dyche insists he will be able to switch off at the end of season, regardless of the quick turnaround ahead of next term.
Sean DycheSean Dyche
Sean Dyche

Burnley sign off against Brighton on Sunday afternoon, guaranteed a second top 10 finish in three seasons.

But, after the three-month pause amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020/21 campaign will be upon us in seven weeks, with the date of September 12th likely to be rubber-stamped today.

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That is almost half the usual close season gap, but Dyche knows how important it is to mentally switch off and refresh to go again, regardless of the shorter timeframe in unusual circumstances: “I think it is what it is, we’ve got to work with whatever date is thrown at us, the model we’re going to have to put in place.

“I don’t think it’s ideal, but it’s not ideal for everyone.”

There was a break of sorts early in lockdown, with football on hold and families brought closer together, and Dyche added: “It’s been kind of peculiar because life goes pretty quick in a strange sort of way, in lockdown, the first couple of weeks seemed to drag on a bit, then you get a kind of routine, or certainly I did, with my family, and then it speeds up.

“Before you know it, you’re back in training, then the games start, and suddenly we’re on the last game.

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“It feels quite normal in the sense we’re playing football matches, but then strange in the sense of the date it is, playing this mini summer season almost.”

Dyche intends to get away, providing his ideal destination is accessible! “I’m pretty good at that (switching off mentally), I’ve been in it long enough now, I’ve been in football since I was 16, professionally.

“It never goes completely.

“Probably lockdown was the least I’ve thought about football in my life, the first couple of weeks, because it was on the pause button, can’t actually do anything, just sit and wait.

“But since we’ve been back, the brain starts whirring again immediately.

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“I was planning on being in Portugal, I’ll probably some way or another find a way and just lockdown, I presume. But of family time, family break, possibly not Portugal now!

“Like everyone else in lockdown, of course it’s a form of a break and rest, but not the same as what we imagine a rest to be, certainly in football world, a rest is getting off on holiday, trying to shut down and thinking about nothing other than some quality time with your loved ones, family, children, eat some good food, a couple of glasses of wine, and a couple of lager shandies possibly.”

And as for the transfer window, which opens on Monday, Dyche expects business to be done later rather than sooner, from experience: “Our transfer windows are interesting, there’s not usually a hive of activity an hour after the season, I’ll be surprised if there is!”

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