Sean Dyche has stressed Burnley are not taking anything for granted after their promising start to the Premier League season.
The Clarets head into Saturday’s clash against Leicester at the King Power Stadium unbeaten in their last four matches – two of which were wins – and they are currently seventh in the table. They are two points behind Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes, who lie in fourth position.
Dyche was asked ahead of the fixture if, while there has been considerable praise for Leicester, he liked his team going a little under the radar.
And the Burnley boss said: “I’m not really that worried, I never have been. We get on with what we do here.
“I focus on the players and staff and what we think we can achieve from in-house. The judgements from outside, it is part of the game.
“We’ve never taken anything for granted, we certainly don’t at this time. We’ve had a solid start, at least a solid start, and we want to build on that.
“The main thing for me is working on the training ground consistently, because if you get that bit right, it enhances your chances of continuing the form when the whistle blows for real.
“I’ve really concentrated on that. I’m not really too worried about the outside noise of it all.
“The biggest judgement for me has always been when the final whistle blows at the end of the season – that’s where you deserve to finish, usually. That’s the long focus and the short focus is just the next game.”
Dyche feels Leicester, who have 14 points from eight games, are showing “a strong early sign” with regard to a potential top-six finish this season.
“Recently people have spoken about the possibility of can they break that top sort of six at least,” he said.
“Four is difficult. Not saying it is not (possible) – obviously we know the Leicester story from the past (they memorably won the title in 2015-16). But to try and think about that top six, so far they have made a strong early sign of that.
“Even in the games that have gone against them they have been right in it, and I think it bodes well for them.”
Dyche was on the coaching staff at Watford when Rodgers was Hornets boss in 2008-09, and has revealed he gave the Northern Irishman advice about where to live when he took charge at Leicester in February.
“We are kind of distant friends – friends we are, but what I mean is he is certainly busy and so am I,” Dyche said.
“I spoke to him when he first went in at Leicester, because geographically it is kind of down my neck of the woods, and (there were) a few questions about places to live and thoughts on being in the Midlands. I said there was no worry there, there’s some lovely places round there, and I believe he has settled quite quickly.
“I think he had done enough homework himself about the club. It is a good club and the support, the financial support particularly. He is a good fella, I like him, I respect him.”
Tributes will be paid at Saturday’s game to Leicester’s former chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was killed in a helicopter crash outside the stadium on October 27 last year.
And Dyche said: “I must mention, a year after the unfortunate loss of their owner – I thought they were a class act, Leicester, with everything that went on then.
“It was a very tough situation – we were there at that time (Leicester faced Burnley in their first home game after the tragedy) – and I thought they were amazing, how they dealt with it, the people of Leicester, the club and everything.
“Whatever they need from us, apart from the 90-odd minutes, we’ll support whatever they need to recognise that event as well.”
