Sean Dyche: "You want people to think that Burnley are a different side and they're expected to do more, but there still has to be a reality to it"
Tuesday 21 April 2020 15:00, UK
Burnley manager Sean Dyche is relishing the task of managing the change in expectations at Turf Moor, but insists they must be tempered by reality.
The Clarets were enjoying another fine season under Dyche's stewardship before football was suspended as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Burnley were on a seven-game unbeaten league run that included victories over Manchester United and Leicester when the season was put on hold.
Dyche was a special guest on The Football Show on Tuesday, and he was asked about the shifting expectations at the club, with his side 10th in the table and well clear of the relegation zone.
"It's unlikely that we're going to spend floods of money. We have to find a balance to the way we work, and there has to be a reality within that."
He told Sky Sports: "You want a higher demand and you want people to think more of you. This season, we had a tough spell, we lost four and people were starting to make noises.
"There were some who felt perhaps it was time for a change. You want people to think Burnley are a different side, they're expected to do more, but there still has to be a reality to it.
"Taking away the virus situation, as that might change things anyway with the transfer market, but in a general season, it's unlikely that we're going to spend floods of money. We have to find a balance to the way we work, and there has to be a reality within that.
"It's not that you can't achieve things with low budgets, because we've done that, but it is more difficult. There has to be a balance, and mostly our fans have stood by that."
On the change in expectations, Dyche added: "It's good in one way, as it gives you a push to remind yourself that people are taking you more seriously. But on the other hand, there still has to be a balance and a reality to what we do at Burnley.
"Every season is tough and the expectation from our perspective is that it's going to be difficult for us to find a way to stay in the Premier League. So far we've done that."
Burnley chairman Mike Garlick warned earlier this month that the club could lose as much as £50m if the Premier League does not resume this season.
Lack of matchday revenue for the remaining four home games of their campaign would cost them around £5m, according to the club's figures, if the season is cancelled or matches take place behind closed doors.
The Clarets could also miss out on another £45m of TV revenue payments from the Premier League if the decision is taken to abandon the 2019/20 season entirely. But Dyche insists Burnley are in a strong financial position.
![Burnley technical director Mike Rigg [Credit: Burnley FC]](https://e0.365dm.com/20/04/768x432/skysports-mike-rigg-burnley_4960506.jpg?20200402100649)
He added: "We're different to many other Premier League clubs in the sense that it's been run in a very balanced way financially over a number of years. We can take more time with decisions being made by the chairman.
"The first decision was to not furlough staff, and we're not having to make any further decisions at this moment.
"The chairman came out and said what the worst-case situation was but since then he has retracted a bit the things he said.
"Everyone had a knee-jerk reaction to the initial situation but when you look at the facts and figures of the club, we're in a very healthy financial position."
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