Sean Dyche backs Paul Robinson if Tom Heaton remains injured
Thursday 1 December 2016 17:36, UK
Burnley boss Sean Dyche will have no qualms playing 37-year-old goalkeeper Paul Robinson on Saturday, with Tom Heaton still struggling with a calf problem.
The Clarets face Stoke at the bet365 Stadium and may be without England international Heaton, who is unlikely to overcome the injury which forced Robinson into action last weekend against Manchester City.
Robinson won praise from Dyche for his performance in the 2-1 defeat, his first top-flight appearance in four years, with the manager confident in the goalkeeper's ability should Heaton's condition remain the same.
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"Tom - he's touch and go, we will give him another 24 hours then make a decision," Dyche said. "It's just the nature of it.
"It's down to the end of the injury. Then it's a judgement call about whether you want to risk that or not. Robbo certainly delivered a good performance, ably assisted by Nick Pope.
"I'm not going to make a drastic decision on it or one where I think it's going to put him at risk. On the other hand, if he says, 'I'm absolutely clear' that will be a different conversation."
Former Blackburn 'keeper Robinson joined Burnley on a short-term deal last January and Dyche re-signed him over the summer despite also landing 24-year-old Pope from Charlton.
"He's in great shape, he really is," the Clarets boss added of Robinson. "I think he's in great shape for what he does as a professional. All credit to him for his mentality towards it.
"I spoke to him in private and you could see he'd got the bug back, you could see it in his eyes, the way he was talking about it. He came in last year and did great for us and has done ever since.
"It's partly evolved into what he can rub off onto the other keepers. His standards are very high from the career he's had. He knows some of the not-so-good things that don't work so he can share that when he needs to."
Heaton is not the only injury concern for the Stoke clash after Dean Marney sustained a back strain against Manchester City and Johann Berg Gudmundsson suffered a hamstring injury in the same match.
While the Icelandic winger has definitely been ruled out, Dyche stressed Marney had a "strong chance" of featuring.
