It’s Burnley tomorrow, so that means that it’s time for another enlightening chat with one of our opposition’s fans. This week I spoke to Tom from the Longside.co.uk.
You must be delighted with your start to the season, especially when you’ve had such tough fixtures. How confident are you in staying up?
Nine points from our first six games is far more than any of us could have wished for given the fixtures we have had, so yes, delighted so far is the phrase I would use. Obviously the key to us staying up is our home form. If we can maintain that and pick up a few extras away from home, then yes I certainly feel confident we can stay up.
A lot of promoted clubs struggle to score goals. Will this be a problem for Burnley? Do you think that David Nugent will prove to be the answer after his brace last weekend?
The ability to score goals is obviously key for any team. So far we have created chances but have not had that clinical finishing we need. The signing of David Nugent came as a bit of a shock to me, but having seen his two goals against Sunderland he could become a key player for us. It’s too early to say yet for sure, but he took his goals with confidence and with Owen Coyle mentoring him, in my opinion will only get better.
How much higher is the quality of the football in the Premier League compared to the Championship? Has this surprised you, having been out of the top flight for so long?
The quality of football is definintely higher there is no doubt, but having watched lots of Premiership football on the TV it is not a surprise to me. Too many teams in the Championship play the long ball, so you only really get a handful of good games. Owen Coyle has certainly got The Clarets playing attractive football and in the games we have played we have proved that. It is a long hard season though and whether we can keep it up, especially with the small squad, is another matter.
Which Premier League grounds are you most looking forward to visiting this season?
The Lane has always been one of my favourites for the atmosphere. I don’t really like the modern stadia. They just lack that feeling you get from the older grounds. The ones that I am looking forward to most are the ones where I believe we have a chance of winning. Hull, Portsmouth and Wolves, for example.
Which of your players are particularly excelling at the moment? Are there any that don’t seem up to the job at this level?
The biggest influence is The Beast, Brian Jensen. A few seasons ago he was always being criticised for not being good enough for Championship football let alone The Premiership, but he is proving to be a big influence. Another to excel is Jordan. I didn’t think he would be able to cut it, but so far he is doing well. We have a good squad of players with an excellent team spirit. They may not be the best, but they are honest. So really I wouldn’t like to say who is not up to it, because given the chance every one of them will have a go.
Having a manager of Owen Coyle’s ability is a double edged sword. How long can you hold onto him?
Owen seems a really honest and loyal manager. He has worked miracles at Burnley so far, but unfortunately that gets him noticed by everyone else. If he has another good season and keeps us up, then I cannot really see him being here longer than another two years, but I certainly hope he will be.
There will be plenty of Tottenham supporters who have never been to Turf Moor (myself included). What sort of atmosphere can we expect when we play you away?
You will certainly feel a difference, especially this season, as our fans are really up for it and are certainly playing their part in Turf Moor being a fortress. We have an old fashioned ground that may not be to your liking but you will certainly know you have been amongst some of the most passionate fans in the country.
What do you make of Tottenham’s start to the season and what do you think we’ll achieve?
I am pleasantly surprised as to how well you are doing. As a manger I do like Harry and the football he gets you playing. Living in East Anglia I certainly know quite a bit about Spurs due to the number of supporters around us, so it is good to be able to talk back about Premiership football. Quite honestly I believe you could finish just in the top six, but that will depend on keeping a fit defence.
And finally, what’s your prediction for Saturday’s game?
Burnley’s away games are going to be difficult to predict this season, but I live in hope. I think your forwards will be too quick at times for us, so I can see you bagging a couple, but again your defence could be a little vulnerable and if Nugent can carry on from last week then I can also see us bagging a couple, so my prediction is 2-2.
