Caldwell: Burnley boss will make us stronger (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Caldwell: Burnley boss will make us stronger

10:12am Tuesday 6th May 2008 in

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CAPTAIN Steven Caldwell has backed manager Owen Coyle to make Burnley a stronger force next season.

A 5-0 defeat at Crystal Palace consigned the Clarets to a 13th-placed finish - the lowest position available to them - on the final day of the season on Sunday.

But while it was a disappointing outcome to a campaign which had held the prospect of a play-off place until last month, when back-to-back defeats to Norwich City and Sheffield United ruled them out of the race for the top six, Caldwell believes they can come back better for the experience, and boss Coyle's summer additions.

"We haven't achieved our potential this season," said the 27-year-old defender.

"There have been missed opportunities, and we've had a few, like most teams have.

"It's been a really difficult season for everybody to achieve a level of consistency in their performances.

"We feel we should be in the play-offs at least. But it's gone now.

"It's about reflecting on the things we can improve on and doing that, and coming back next season stronger and recharged to push forward again.

"I think we have to come back stronger next season.

"Every team has to improve week in, week out and year in, year out.

"The biggest teams in world football strengthen, even though they win maybe three or four trophies, they still strengthen in the summer.

"Obviously we need to strengthen because we want to improve, and the whole point of strengthening the squad is to bring the best out of the people that are there and the people that come in.

"It isn't about changing a centre half for another centre half, or a centre forward for another centre forward, it's about causing competition for places, which makes people perform to their absolute maximum, and that's what we need."

And Caldwell blames a lack of consistency for their season petering out.

"Momentum is everything in this league. It's the biggest thing and it's a difficult thing to get.

"But once you get winning week in, week out it's then quite difficult to lose a game.

"You just have that confidence and that sureness about your play, and it's a fantastic thing," he said.

"I think it's one thing we're struggling to get.

"The pleasing thing over last season is that we never went through a spell where we lost consistently.

"We were winning a few, losing a few; we were always hanging in there but never getting a true consistency.

"It's what might have been for a lot of teams, and certainly for us. It's gone now, it's in the past.

"We have to look forward, and we'll be ready next season."