Sean Dyche says respect for Aston Villa's Tom Heaton will 'go out the window'
Thursday 26 September 2019 16:04, UK
Sean Dyche says there will be no emotional sentiment towards former long-serving Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton when they face Aston Villa on Saturday.
Heaton, who was Dyche's first permanent signing on a free transfer from Bristol City, ended a six-year stay at Turf Moor in the summer to join Villa for around £8m.
Burnley were promoted twice to the Premier League during that time but Dyche says his focus will be on winning back-to-back matches for the first time this season in the first meeting between the two sides since May 2015.
"I am pretty good at these sort of things as regards emotionally," Dyche said.
"There will be no emotion during the game but before maximum respect for Tom on and off the pitch. Great fella - my first ever signing here of course for the grand total of zero. He has been a brilliant servant.
"After the game full of respect again but during it won't even cross my mind. It never does when I am playing against players we have had here.
"It never bothers me that sort of thing, other than tactically if you are looking at the different view point but not emotionally. I am sure he will know that!
"Full of respect and I am sure the group will be but during the game that will go out of the window because we want to win."
The signing of the 33-year-old England goalkeeper was part of a summer overhaul for Villa who spent £144.5m on 12 players following their promotion to the top flight.
Dyche, who is the fourth longest-serving manager in Burnley's history, believes there are no guarantees for the promoted clubs, however much they bolster their squad.
"Their model is different to the other two sides that have come up. Certainly, considerably different to our own.
"I think I am coming up for seven years and we have probably brought in about £500m in that time and we have a net spend of about £70m.
"When you think they have spent, I don't know the exact number, £100m-plus in one summer it is a different model that is for sure. In relation to the teams that have come up I think Sheffield United are in that mid ground, put some money in and then Norwich are the ones that are sticking more with what the group is.
"The reason for bringing it up is I don't think there is a guarantee. You get promoted to the Premier League and it is tough. Whichever way you do it, whatever way you look at it you have got to mould a team, that team has got to grow, it has got to learn how to play in the Premier League.
"It needs to win games and it is a story of a season rather than the first part of the season. Over the season it will be interesting to see whether the investment has paid off or hasn't, see how the other teams are doing and get a view of where it is at."
