Dyche insists the Clarets won’t roll over should Premier clubs come calling (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Dyche insists the Clarets won’t roll over should Premier clubs come calling

9:27am Monday 17th December 2012 in Sport By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

SEAN Dyche says it would take a “hell of a figure” for Burnley to consider selling Charlie Austin in January.

The with transfer window getting closer speculation is mounting as to whether the Clarets’ top scorer will still be at Turf Moor for he second half of the season.

Premier League clubs have been paying the 23-year-old plenty of attention, with four in regular attendance at Burnley’s fixtures to keep tabs on the top scorer, who took his tally for the campaign to 22 with an equalising penalty in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Watford.

But Dyche has moved to offer reassurances that the club would not surrender meekly to any advances.

The Burnley boss was reluctant to specify an amount when asked, but he insisted he did not fear the transfer window opening.

“Not particularly. It’s the reality of the market. You want people interested in your players,” he said.

“I’m pretty sure knowing the club now as I do it would take a hell of a figure to get him to leave.

“You want interest in your players because that’s usually a good sign that things are going well, and there are a lot of good things going on here.

“We’ve just got to make sure we keep that and turn it into results.”

Dyche was frustrated that despite having the majority share of possession and chances against his old club on Saturday, the Clarets again struggled to convert those statistics into points.

But he was pleased to see Austin back on the scoresheet, through a 28th minute spot kick following a push on Dean Marney.

The striker would have added to it had it not been for the efforts of Watford’s former Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

“Almunia stopped everything and (Paul) Robinson stopped everything for Blackburn in that game – or the real big moments. That’s what big players do and we’ve got a few ourselves and Charlie stepped up and took a great penalty and I thought he was lively all day.

“A number of players played very well and as a unit they played very well,” said Dyche, who offered a full debut to defender Kevin Long, a first start of the season to Danny Ings and recall Keith Treacy to the squad for the first time since August.

“I made it clear everyone has a chance. We’re trying to get to see the players, not as a number one thing because results are number one, but we believe in the players here and we believe they can deliver.

“I thought everyone made an impact, including the substitutions.

“There are so many good things here, and I said before the game, I think it’s strange that we haven’t got more points on the table, especially with performances like that.

“Everyone’s amazed. But that will come with consistency and belief in performances like that.”

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