Dyche still keen to add to his squad, but time is running out

Sean Dyche remains keen to add to his squad in the final week of the transfer window.
Sean DycheSean Dyche
Sean Dyche

But he admits there are “possibles, but not many probables” at present.

And he is also wary of interest in his players, although, unlike in years gone by, he is under no pressure to sell.

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Dyche is having to be patient as he waits for situations to open in the club’s favour, ahead of the window closing at 11 p.m. on Thursday: "It's forever difficult, situations, possibles, but not many probables, at the moment, and that's just the way it is.

"January is very tough, everyone knows that, we don't say it just to throw a line out there, I think it just is.

"If you have the superpower money, that's different, we quite obviously haven't, we have to work carefully, and that makes it another challenge on the top of the fact it's the January window.

"We want the pressure, I wanted to bring in more in the last window, I made that clear to everyone, not because I don't trust my players or rate them, because I do, but there's only so much pressure as a manager you can put on players, there's a different kind of healthy pressure which comes with new signings, with capable signings, because I was a player and you look around and think 'I've got to look after myself'.

"That can enhance performances.

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"Managers have brought players in and they don't always play, but it raises the bar, and the standard pushes again.

"Then, if they do play, it raises the bar anyway, because the fella who's come out of the team is trying to work to get back in it.

"I still would sign players if they are right for what we need, and we want to do that on an ongoing basis, for that in-house demand.”

So is Dyche worried about the lack of activity so far?: "Worry is the wrong word, but you're always aware of it, because we've got a big second half of the season that has started and we've started it well, but we've got to maintain that.

"You've got to push the levels all the time.

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"But you can't worry about something that's not easy to affect.

"I concern myself more with things I can affect and intend on affecting.

"The market's not like that for us because of the financial model, the way the club has to find balance, and that makes it even more difficult.

"So you can't worry yourselves even more about things that are somewhat in your control, but not totally.

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"I like to control the things I can, they are the things that really concern me, because they are often the most important.”

The window has been quiet overall so far in the Premier League, and Dyche noted: "It's often a sign, we're there (points down) in spending terms, and there's all this up here, and they're not doing a lot.

"That's how hard it is.

"Lots of talk but not that much big action.”

There is money available to him, but again, everything has to fit into the business model, with no huge benefactor able to write serious sums off: "It's funny, people pre-suppose there's big figures to spend, and I can assure you they're not giant.

"There's an amount the chairman and board feel comfortable with that is possible, but it's not an open cheque book, that's never been the case.

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"We always have to look at outgoings, possibly, if people come in for our players, because there's a chance because we have some very good players here, I've said that all along.

"We're not in a position where we have to do that, that's changed, but we still have to be aware of it, because the club does operate on a working model, year in, year out, window to window, it's not just stop, stand still, it's okay now.

"It's a constant working model, and it's very difficult.

"We've made it work, and continue to do so, but there's been times when we've just about made it work, because the market doesn't care about Burnley, the market is the market.

"Get involved or don't, it's up to you.

"So that's our choice.”

Asked whether he had had any interest in his players, Dyche added: "There's constant interest (in our players), I've said to you many times, there's no direct interest to me, but there's constant interest.

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"When you've been in the game as long as me, it's not hard to find things like that out, people put it to you quickly enough.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked me about Danny Ings! That was every minute of every press conference every week for a year.”