Dressing room unity remains our strength - Burnley boss Sean Dyche

Dressing room unity remains Burnley's strength, despite 10 players being out of contract in the summer.
Sean DycheSean Dyche
Sean Dyche

Sean Dyche feels the squad's togetherness is intact, even with the uncertainty surrounding a number of players' futures.

Defensive lynchpins James Tarkowski, who is expected to leave, and captain Ben Mee's deals run out at the end of the summer, as do full backs Phil Bardsley and Erik Pieters', winger Aaron Lennon, midfielder Dale Stephens, strikers Jay Rodriguez and Matej Vydra, as well as Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes, who both have options in the club's favour.

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As Cork said: "I think we've got a lot of lads who've been at the club a long time, and we want to do it for each other as much as the club.

"We don't want to let ourselves down - if results go badly, it only really reflects badly on us, and that's not something you want on your CV, that you didn't want to do something because you were all out of contract in the summer.

"It's not in our nature or part of this club. We'll always have a go here and have a fight."

And Dyche firmly believes the stronger the unit, the better it is for each player in any outcome: “I'm always open with the players - the better you are as a team, the better that helps you as an individual.

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“I have always aligned the players down the years with the thought that not many people win out of an unsuccessful team and an unsuccessful season.

“Our success has deemed as being different – it’s staying in the Premier League. But not many gain from an unsuccessful team.

“If you’re not in a successful team, people will understand that.

“But if you’re not in the team of an unsuccessful team, other managers will go, ‘I’m not sure about that’.

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“So the more success you have as a group, the stronger you will be as an individual, whether you’re here, there or wherever. I’ve always been honest about that."

That inner strength in the dressing room strength as the pillar of the team is a big part of the club's success under Dyche: “It’s helpful. But we also have some very good footballers, who work very hard at their professions.

“I think we have a group who can deal with their situations as individuals within a team sport and I certainly think that helps.

“The way we try to align the information given whether it’s about themselves or the hierarchy of the club to their agents, we share that information.

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“It’s always aligned, it’s always what it is, it’s never one says this and the other says that and if there is any doubt, they always come and see me.

“I’ll say what has been said, I know the conversations that have been had, this is the reality and this is why it is.

“The players have been very respectful of that in my time and I think the lines of communication are important."

However, as he admits, contract situations are tricky when there is uncertainty over which division the club is going to be in next season, while the issue of new ownership - with ALK Capital celebrating 12 months at the helm - also comes into the equation: "There is also the issue of new ownership.

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“They are all looking. They will say ‘We know you like these guys Sean, but they need to show us.’

“But at the minute, they need to show more, quite obviously.

“That is the challenge of football and the challenge of new owners, in any industry, as you have to show them what you’re doing and show them your capabilities.

“I always try to be honest with the players and never try to swerve the situation."