Republic of Ireland international Stephen Ward has been speaking about the ‘unbelievable job’ that Sean Dyche has done since arriving at Burnley five years ago.
Tonight obviously sees the visit of Newcastle United as Dyche makes five years in the job, Ward told the Official Site that the gaffer’s achievements at Turf Moor really do speak for themselves.
‘From when he came in, the way the club has changed and the players we now have, the squad we have, I`m sure it`s like chalk and cheese. To do a job of that quality with a club like Burnley, he has got to take amazing credit and I`m sure everyone; fans, players alike, will be very grateful for that. To see what he`s done with a club of Burnley`s stature is an unbelievable job. You don`t really see managers come into clubs and take them to where he`s taken them. You look at the training ground and the success we`ve had has taken this club to a new level, where it deserves to be. And if we can have another successful season, then the club will go from strength to strength again.’
Having been signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers by Dyche back in August 2014, Ward has of course more than played his part in the success since and he went on to add.
‘From the time I`ve been here, he`s obviously been outstanding. I came after they had just got promoted. We then had a year in the Premier League where we got a lot of credit for the way we went about our business. Unfortunately, we got relegated but the manager kept us all together and got us right at it in pre-season and did a great job to get us back up and keep us in the Premier League.’
Adding.
‘I don`t think there are too many more words you can say about the job he`s done here, but I`m sure he still wants to continue and wants us to improve, which is what he says to us on the training ground every day. He`s been great for me and given me a chance. Hopefully I`ve re-paid his faith and hopefully I can do that for a few more years to come.’
As for his thoughts on tonight’s action, he went on to say.
‘Any team that gets promoted is expected to be down at the lower end of the table. It happened with us last year and it happens with most teams that come up. They are proving people wrong at the minute and we know it`s going to be a tough game. But coming back to Turf Moor it`s important we put on a performance and hopefully put some points on the board.’
Unbeaten in three at home, he went on to add.
‘I wouldn`t say our home form, but our home performances, have been a little bit indifferent and a little bit below the standards we like to set ourselves. At this stage last season, we`d one defeat at home and we`ve got the same again now. People are talking about the home form, but we`ve still picked up a decent points` return. It`s just I think maybe our performances haven`t been the same as they were last year.’
Ward went on to say that maybe some teams have learned from our home form last season and approach the game differently, but there has only been one defeat.
‘I suppose they look at that second-season syndrome and teams maybe try and work you out a little bit more. That can do with people coming and setting up differently maybe to the way they did last year. That`s a challenge for us and we need to find different ways to win games and different ways to break teams down.’
He ended by saying.
‘We have worked a lot on that in pre-season and throughout the season so far. We`ve been a bit disappointed with a couple of the games. But one of the gaffer`s mantras when we speak after the game is that sometimes if you can`t win, it`s important not to lose. Although performances haven`t been what we would have liked them to have been at home we have had to stick in there and make sure we take something from the game, which is important in this league because every point is so vital.’
