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Sean Dyche feels he earned the respect of Burnley fans but insists an ovation is not necessary as he returns to Turf Moor this weekend.<\/p>\n
The Everton manager remains a firm favourite with Clarets supporters after a highly impressive decade with their club in which he won two promotions, finished seventh in the Premier League and qualified for Europe.<\/p>\n
He is likely to get a huge welcome as takes his current side to his former stomping ground on Saturday, but he modestly claims there is no need.<\/p>\n
Dyche said: \u201cThat\u2019s up to them, we\u2019ll see, but I don\u2019t expect anything of anyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think I earned the right with the Burnley fans and I think I\u2019m beginning to earn the right with the Evertonians.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it takes time, I\u2019ve always believed that. I\u2019m willing to earn it, I\u2019m willing to put the hard yards in myself. I don\u2019t just ask it of the team, but we\u2019ll wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such is the esteem in which Dyche is held in Burnley that he still has a pub named after him close to the stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll pop in my pub obviously,\u201d he said sarcastically at his pre-match press conference. \u201cPeople think it\u2019s mine but it\u2019s not!\u201d<\/p>\n
Dyche left Burnley as they slipped towards relegation in April 2022. They have since returned to the top flight under Vincent Kompany after winning the Sky Bet Championship last season, but have found the going tough, collecting just eight points from their opening 16 games.<\/p>\n
Dyche said: \u201cThey had a fantastic season last season and I saw Vincent at one of the LMA (League Managers Association) dos and commended him on the work that they\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve spent money, but how do you buy players who are game-ready for the Premier League? It\u2019s not easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you\u2019ve got to develop. You\u2019ve got to mould it, you\u2019ve got to form it, you\u2019ve got to produce a team that can win.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a massive challenge for anyone going up and I\u2019m told from colleagues who are in the Championship that the gap\u2019s got bigger. It\u2019s even harder to make that jump.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dyche will push sentiment aside as he looks for Everton, who were hit with a 10-point deduction last month, to build on the three-game winning run that has lifted them out of the relegation zone.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe form was good before, but it\u2019s about winning and that really comes down to taking your chances.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have done that in these games recently. We\u2019ve created a lot and we\u2019ve taken them, and we\u2019ve kept clean sheets.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s the mixture every football manager and every player should want. We\u2019ve got to keep working hard to get that to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n