It's been such a busy summer that I genuinely don’t know where to start.

The revolving door of activity at Turf Moor has been nothing like we have seen for a long time and I genuinely don’t know who plays for us and who doesn't as I start this week's column. Never mind what our starting line-up is likely to be as we kick off our new campaign against Huddersfield.

So let's start with the personnel changes...

Out went Phil Bardsley, Erik Pieters, Dale Stephens, Aaron Lennon, Wout Weghorst and Wayne Hennessey. So far, so expected and nothing really that concerning. We needed to get some older fringe players out of the squad to free up some salaries and prepare the rebuild.

But then went Nathan Collins, Nick Pope, James Tarkowski and Ben Mee. Ouch. So very ouch. Losing such an experienced and impressive defence 'en mass' struck at the heart of all Clarets. The holy trinity has gone. Our promising new centre half who was supposed to replace Tarkey has gone. And all for just £32m between them.

As we speak, just 24 hours before the season starts, there is also talk of both Cornet and McNeil following their departures. Not unexpected, at all, but still painful.

It's easy to look at that list and write the season off before we have even kicked a ball. Indeed, what team could even survive, let alone thrive, with such a mass exodus of players? Well, you do that by starting the rebuild and reinvesting that money on youth and prospect.

In their busy summer, Alan Pace and VK brought in a new defence of Arijanet Muric, Luke McNally, CJ Egan-Riley, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ian Maatsen. All very young – an average age of 20 years and 8 months – but with promise and pedigree and showing that the widely expected shopping trip to Manchester City was taking shape.

Assisting the already impressive midfield came Josh Cullen and Samuel Bastien. And to bring the goals, signing-of-the-summer Scott Twine. And, we are told, more to come.

But football fans are a funny sort, right? We spent the last couple of years bemoaning an aging squad that was too slow and past its best. So we replace them with exciting young players and are met with a chorus of, "Ooooh, they're young. Not enough experience in that squad". You can't please some people.

Let's not overthink this, but instead look to a promising future under VK's stewardship. He chose us. He wanted to come here. Despite relegation and despite the financial restrictions he knows he has to work within, he still chose to come here and be our new manager.

That cannot be underestimated and we should throw our support behind him and the players who chose to pull on that Claret and Blue shirt.

Tomorrow marks the first game of this new chapter and whether we like it or not, we are not in the Premier League any more and have a new goal. Promotion. That is going to take some mind-shift from the decade-long quest to just stay in a league.

To help that goal we have brought in a hugely promising and well-respected manager (one who has already sparked the interest of a more friendly national football media), and a younger squad who are more aligned to modern football.

We can suddenly look forward to entertaining/attacking football, modern formations, something ... different. That should be embraced.

If you were lucky enough to get a ticket to Huddersfield then enjoy the game and raise the roof. Let's get behind this new look Clarets side and show them that we are here for them. Whatever it takes.

UTC