JAMES Tarkowski is happy to be framed as Sean Dyche's shining example for some of Burnley's fringe players.

The Clarets chief regularly mentions Tarkowski's rise from rarely used substitute to starting central defender when he talks about other players in his squad who are having to wait for their chance.

Tarkowski joined Burnley from Brentford in the winter transfer window of the 2015/16 season, but he found his game time limited on departure from Griffin Park.

For a season-and-a-half the former Oldham defender played second fiddle to Ben Mee and Michael Keane and he started just two of the first 52 league games he was available for - when Keane was out injured.

But injury opened the door for the final four Premier League games of last season and Dyche placed his faith in Tarkowski when Keane moved to Everton in the summer. He has responded with some impressive displays this season that have put the 25-year-old in the frame for an England call-up.

It's Tarkowski's patience and diligence on the training ground that Dyche now cites when he talks to some of the players in his squad who are eagerly awaiting their chance.

"I think the gaffer maybe uses me as a bit of an example to the lads who were not in the team but have come in and done really well," the Manchester-born Tarkowski said.

"Chaz (Charlie Taylor) was out of it for a while and not always making the squads but he's come in and done terrific. People can look at that and take motivation from it because when they get the chance they can go out and show everybody what they can do."

Taylor and Phil Bardsley have taken their chance at full-back when injury granted them a run in the side, while Sam Vokes and Ashley Barnes have impressed in attack when handed an opportunity this term.

Tarkowski highlights the competitive nature of training as a reason why players can come in and hit the ground running.

"A big thing for the gaffer is that we train in the way that we'd want to play on the Saturday so players are at those standards all the time," he explains.

"It's not a matter of people coming in and taking two or three games to get in to it, you need to be ready to go straight away. Obviously it's not that simple, ideally you'd want to play a few games in a row to get to the standards where you want to be. The way we train gets people up there and ready to go straight away and that's been proven this season.

"If you change 10 players in any team it's going to change the way it plays. If you change 10 of our players, it's not like they're not ready to play but partnerships are broken up and certain players haven't played together. But with two or three people coming in to a team we've made it look quite seamless so far which is quite nice.

"When you're not playing you need to work as hard as when you are playing. You need to get your head down and work hard Monday to Friday and then wait for your opportunity. If it doesn't come it doesn't come but at some point you'll be called upon and then when you're in the team you need to make sure that you're putting in the performances to keep your spot.

"It's bred in to you as soon as you get here. You've got to have the right personalities as well but the lads seem to buy in to it straight away. As soon as they come here they get their head down and work hard.

"Bardo (Phil Bardsley) is another one who came here and didn't play a lot at the start of the season but since he's come in he's been terrific. There are people all over the pitch who have come in, having not necessarily played at the start, who have done really well. The lads who are out of the team have got to make sure that when they're called upon they are ready to go."

Kevin Long is another player to shine when handed his chance this season, either via suspension to Tarkowski or injury to Mee.

But he has a job on his hands to disrupt the partnership between the two first choice central defenders, who have been key for the Clarets this season.

"To be fair Longy has come in and done really well too. He's probably played as many games as me and Ben over the last couple of months," Tarkowski said.

"Obviously Ben was out with injury and I missed out through suspension so Longy came in and did really well. Me and Ben had a really good start to the season but since Longy came in he's done well too.

"Everyone says that they always want a bit of competition in your position. If you feel that it's going to be a bit of a given that you're going to play week in week out you can get a bit sloppy and not hit the levels or the standards that you expect of yourself all the time. The fact that there's competition for places all over the pitch is good."