SEAN Dyche celebrates his two year anniversary at Turf Moor today and admits the club are ahead of schedule in his plans.
Dyche took over the reins from Eddie Howe on October 30, 2012, when the Clarets were 14th in the Championship.
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They had shipped 29 goals in 13 league games and a season of struggle looked on the cards.
Fast forward two years and Turf Moor now hosts Premier League football after last season’s promotion, which was something that Dyche said had helped his planning.
“I couldn’t guarantee promotion,” he said, “that’s been a massive bonus, not that I didn’t believe we could do it, but you can’t guarantee that.
“I could guarantee the way which I worked, the staff worked and the way we managed to get the players to work, whilst also looking at the club’s structure and improving it, the training ground, the youth system, I haven’t done that all by the way, but I offer advice on the youth system, the development system, the analysis, the diet, all of those things go into the melting pot to improve the club.
“But while all that is happening you have to win games, and that hasn’t changed, just because we’re in the Premier League don’t think I’m just looking at that, saying ‘oh we’ve got some nice shiny new pitches coming’, not at all.”
When Dyche was appointed, Clarets co-chairman John Banaszkiewicz and Mike Garlick spoke of him being a ‘natural leader’ with a commitment to youth and a desire to strengthen the links with the local community.
And Dyche is pleased that much of what he set out to achieve in East Lancashire is now coming to fruition.
“I look at the building process,” he said, “I look at when we first got here and reflect back on it, the things I offered to the board that I think were important for the club, I’m pleased to say we’ve managed to enhance them and speed them up because of the finance that comes with getting promoted.
“A lot of my thinking then and the things that I promoted to the board at my first interview have become reality and I’m pleased with that, both on and off the pitch.”
After last year’s promotion the Clarets have struggled in the top flight so far this campaign, and are bottom of the league and without a win after nine games, but Dyche believes that being in the top flight can only be good for the club.
“Obviously an enormous challenge last year ended in a fantastic finish,” he added, “which was great for everyone and then we are where we are now and it’s the challenge now and it’s a really tough one.
“I don’t want people to think we’re playing that underdog role and saying it’s going to be tough, we’re not at all, it’s reality, I’m always reality bound but I do positive realities, I don’t do rubbish or blind faith, so the reality is it’s a really, really tough challenge, but it’s a challenge that myself, the players, the staff, the club, the town, absolutely want, why would you not want to be in the Premier League?
“Whether you’re top, middle or bottom why would you not want to be there, it’s still within our grasp, it’s still something we’re looking to do, it’s a fantastic thing, the worst that can happen to this football club is that it will be considerably wealthier than it was, considerably better organised, new facilities, new ground, stronger squad, stronger recruitment, stronger organisational skills and stronger support networks, the worst is not going to kill this football, and the best that can happen is that we continue to develop, continue to learn, win football matches and become a Premier League club.”
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