It’s not every day that you hear Burnley managers being interviewed live on national radio.
Come to think of it, it’s not every season that you hear Burnley managers being interviewed live on national radio.
So it was an unexpected yet pleasant surprise to hear Sean Dyche broadcasting his thoughts on Leeds 1 Burnley 2 to the nation via Radio 5Live on Saturday tea-time.
If you missed it there was, you will not be terrifically surprised to learn, much talk of “the team” and “the group.”
But buried deep in his ruminations there was a wonderful little nugget. “Stripping the ego” was the phrase Dyche used; portraying himself as not so much the Ginger Mourinho as the Ginger Nietzsche.
It’s an expression which, on first hearing, conjures up some pretty terrifying mental images which are best left unexplored in these pages. But it also gives a clue as to one of the cornerstones of Burnley’s nascent success this term: the team is the star.
Last season the perception was that the Clarets were pretty much a one-man outfit: the man in question being Charlie Austin. Although bafflingly, the stats show that the side fared better when the top scorer didn’t feature.
Following his move to Loftus Road however, there is no obvious focal point for attention. Granted, Danny Ings has garnered headlines with his early-season goal-scoring exploits but not to such an extent that he eclipses his team-mates.
Instead, the first few weeks of 2013/14 have seen quietly impressive performances in all departments.
Tom Heaton is a calm and commanding custodian. Jason Shackell has shaken off last season’s indifferent form to show why Eddie Howe parted with £1m for his services.
David Jones knits it all together in the middle. And Danny Ings and Sam Vokes may be on their way to forming the best front pairing seen at Turf Moor since Andy Payton and Andy Cooke.
Long may it continue. So far it’s taken the club to an automatic promotion slot and the third round of the Capital One Cup, with tonight’s opponents, Nottingham Forest, standing in the way of a potentially lucrative fourth round tie.
In fact the only downside is the small size of the squad. It’s a long old season and injuries, suspensions and loss of form are inevitabilities.
“Recruit when you’re strong” is the received wisdom. Burnley are an attractive proposition right now. A well-judged loan or two might pay dividends in the long run.
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