CHRIS Waddle has no regrets about leaving Burnley - apart from stories about his Turf Moor wages, writes PETE OLIVER.

Waddle was angered to see some reports quoting figures he was supposed to be earning with the Clarets.

And he has hit back by saying he was not the highest paid person on the Burnley pay roll.

Speaking to me from Bordeaux, where he covered last night's Italy versus Chile game for the BBC, Waddle said: "I have seen some rubbish about six grand. People have said I was on £6,000 a week with an appearance.

"I was on a lot less than some of the players and where that came from is annoying.

"That (money) had nothing to do with it. The problem was between myself and other people which I could not see being resolved.

"I made a decision and to say that I had to go because I was crippling the club's wages is rubbish."

Waddle is currently without a club but feels me made the right decision to instigate his departure from Burnley after one season in management.

"I stick by my decision. I have had a few letters complaining but I don't sit back and think I should have waited," he added.

"I like everybody to be pulling in the same direction."

Waddle was not surprised to see Stan Ternent follow him into the Turf Moor hot-seat and is aware of Ternent's tactical acumen after talking to him last season. "I saw Stan a couple of times and went to his house once. He was very helpful and I wish him well," said the former Burnley boss.

"Obviously I would like to think things were in good shape. You would like everybody you brought in to be excellent although some didn't work out as well as anticipated. Mark Ford did well in the second half of the season and I think they will get a lot out of him and Lee Howey was starting to come good before he got injured so I think they will get a lot out of him.

"Certain players were a bit disappointing and Steve Blatherwick and Michael Williams didn't do as well as we hoped. But Chris Woods was excellent when he came in and so was Neil Moore.

"And for all Andy Cooke was excellent with 20 goals, Andy Payton's arrival was the turning point.

"On our form in the second half of the season we would have finished seventh but that's all ifs and buts.

"The punters were good and always enjoyed the way we played. We only got a bit of criticism in four or five games which I can't complain about from 50 games when we were in the bottom four for most of the season."

Despite a fraught season which saw Burnley survive the drop on the final day of the campaign Waddle inists he has not been put off management.

But he will not be combining a playing and management job again and hopes to extend his playing days next season.

"I enjoyed it," he said. "I want to keep my options open but next time do it without the playing side."

"I still enjoy playing and think I can do another year and then look at it again next summer. That's my intention but I will come back to it."

The former England international hopes to get fixed up with a club in pre-season training when he returns from his media duties at France 98.

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