Burnley boss Sean Dyche praises Lincoln boss before FA Cup tie
Friday 17 February 2017 11:42, UK
Sean Dyche has praised Lincoln's Cowley brothers for defying the conventional route into football management.
Danny and Nicky Cowley were PE teachers at FitzWimarc School in Rayleigh while manager and assistant at Braintree last year.
After taking Braintree to the Vanarama National League play-offs the pair joined Lincoln and quit their education careers and now - after stunning wins over Brighton and Ipswich - are into the fifth round of the FA Cup where the Premier League side await.
Dyche, who took the more common route of playing professionally before coaching, said: "They've come out of teaching and done a good job in non-league. They've gone in full-time at Lincoln and are making a good show of it.
"There are many different pathways into football, there's always the debate on managers' backgrounds, who's played and who hasn't, at different levels, but I don't think there's an exact pathway.
"It can be helpful if you've played as you have an inside view, particularly when dealing with players, knowing what they're going through, but it's not an absolute prerequisite, which is why football people can go into other businesses and be a success.
"There are many different ways of being a leader or manager."
Dyche scouted Lincoln last weekend just 24 hours before his side's impressive 1-1 draw against Chelsea, talking with supporters and taking notes during a 3-2 win over Woking.
Burnley youngster Josh Ginnelly was also playing for Lincoln on loan, giving Dyche two reasons to make the journey.
"We've had the scouting reports but I went down there last weekend. I spoke to some of their fans…just chatting away about football," he said.
"It was an awkward day with the weather but they did enough to win and they're an attacking side. They play 4-2-4, get the ball forward quickly, they have various ways to try and affect the game and a big centre forward (Matt Rhead) who knows the game from years of being in it.
"They are full of energy, will and desire - all the things good teams are made of. So we've got to make sure we certainly match that and show our quality.
"We've made the players prepare properly, they've had the detail and focus needed. You take all that into the game and there's still no guarantees, you have to deliver."
