MX23RW : Thursday, December 12 17:00:27| >> :600:278048:278048:

Jurgen Klopp 'wrong' to single out Burnley players, says Sean Dyche

Jurgen Klopp 'wrong' to single out Burnley players, says Sean Dyche
© Reuters
The Burnley boss said: 'My disappointment is he is name-checking players - there is absolutely no need to do that.'

Sean Dyche has hit back at Jurgen Klopp following the Liverpool manager's criticism of Burnley's challenges in the Reds' 2-0 win on Saturday.

Klopp singled out Clarets duo Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood as he complained about some of the tackles in the match and expressed concern over the idea of officials letting games flow more.

The German said he was "not 100 per cent sure if we are really going in the right direction with these kind of decisions", saying "it's just too dangerous" as he stressed the importance of protecting players.

Ashley Barnes (right) was one of the players Klopp name-checked on Saturday (Mike Egerton/PA).
Ashley Barnes (right) was one of the players Klopp name-checked on Saturday (Mike Egerton/PA).

Responding to Klopp's remarks at a press conference ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle, Burnley boss Dyche said: "Every manager has the right to have their say – he certainly had his.

"But I think, across football it seems to me, the feedback has probably been considerably the opposite of that.

"The way I look at it, you have a referee there of some 800, 900 games (Mike Dean) who didn't book anyone. So it is quite bizarre when you look at it like that, just factually, how he could suggest there were some untoward challenges.

"My main disappointment actually is not a view of the game – I think every manager, every coach, every pundit, every fan has a view of the game. My disappointment is he is name-checking players – there is absolutely no need to do that.

"We have professional players who have worked very, very hard in their careers to get to where they have got to. The implication of them being untoward in some of their challenges I think is wrong, I think it's inappropriate."

Dyche added: "My overview would be, I'm not worried about protection of players, because I think players get protected to a level that is unbelievable in my history of the game – and rightly so in some cases, I must say.

"My worry is that he is questioning that a team shouldn't do everything they can to win a game within the laws, which we clearly did, because there wasn't a single card.

"I know the history of Liverpool, I was a Liverpool fan as a kid, still am but more distantly as I've got older. And you don't have to go far, looking down the annuls of Liverpool's history, to suggest they had a few players who made sure they were fighting, not just playing but fighting, to win a game – and they've still got a few."

Dyche's men face Newcastle away in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday (Michael Regan/PA).
Dyche's men face Newcastle away in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday (Michael Regan/PA).

On Klopp's suggestion that fans should "watch wrestling" if they value aggressive challenges over protecting players, Dyche said: "That's up to him. His comments are what they are. That's not up to me. (People can) use whatever words they wish to describe whatever they wish, and see fit to do so."

Ahead of the new Premier League season, referees' chief Mike Riley explained that the threshold for intervention by officials and VAR would be higher than last term in order to allow the game to flow more.

Asked if he was happy with the new protocols, Dyche said: "I'm very pleased with what happened in the Euros, and the feedback from most fans I know is very positive about that. I think it's a step in the right direction.

"There is going to be a cooling off period for referees because they have been so used to giving virtually every contact, now they are being told to not give every contact. So there is going to be a bit of that."

ID:460582:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect7536:
Written by
P A

Click here for more stories about Sean Dyche

Click here for more stories about Burnley

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates scoring their second goal against Norwich City in the Premier League on August 21, 2021
Read Next:
Jack Grealish on the scoresheet as Manchester City thrash Norwich
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd20135228111742
2Leeds UnitedLeeds20125336142241
3Burnley2010822471738
4Sunderland20107329151437
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn1910452317634
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2071122314932
7Middlesbrough209473425931
8Watford199462725231
9Swansea CitySwansea207672119227
10Norwich CityNorwich206863530526
11Bristol City206862525026
12Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds207582329-626
13Millwall196762017325
14Preston North EndPreston2041062026-622
15Luton TownLuton2064102335-1222
16Coventry CityCoventry205692529-421
17Derby CountyDerby205692226-421
18Stoke CityStoke205692126-521
19Queens Park RangersQPR204972026-621
20Oxford UnitedOxford Utd194692030-1018
21Portsmouth183872130-917
22Cardiff CityCardiff1945101730-1317
23Plymouth ArgylePlymouth1945101940-2117
24Hull City2037101828-1016


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!