SEAN DYCHE is not haunted by the prospect of his dismal cup record getting even worse — because he refuses to be embarrassed by losing to lower league opposition.
That is just as well, with Peterborough bidding to emulate fellow League One outfit Sunderland, who stormed to a 3-1 Carabao Cup victory at Burnley in August.
Sean Dyche insists he is not Sean Of The Dread despite Burnley’s horror FA Cup record
Clarets chief Dyche has also suffered shock defeats against Accrington, Burton, Lincoln and Port Vale in the past five years. But he has never lost any sleep after those losses.
He said: “Have I ever felt embarrassed by losing to a lower league team? Absolutely not. I hate that term.
“Why be embarrassed about another team winning a game? I’ve never been embarrassed about anything in football. Football is a tough industry.
“I would never react like that because it does the opposition down. I think there will be very few times when I’ve questioned an opposition team for their style.
“We have to be respectful. I’ve been on the other side of it, when I was captain of the Chesterfield team that reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1997. We beat the likes of Nottingham Forest, who were a Premier League outfit back then, along the way.
“I remember when we lost 1-0 to Lincoln they had a 4-4-1-1 formation and never came out their slots. They waited for their one moment — and they had their one moment.
“That is sometimes the way it works — on another day we score and they have to come out and it changes. So I’ll never be embarrassed if it doesn’t go our way.”
Dyche, 48, insists that does not mean he has not been stung by giant-killing acts.
Why be embarrassed about another team winning a game? I’ve never been embarrassed about anything in football. Football is a tough industry.
Sean Dyche
He added: “They don’t hurt less. They just get parked quicker if it happens. There is no crying for me.
“It’s gone, bang. Off it goes and the next one’s the most important one. I will make changes because we have a lot of tired bodies, but I expect to win whoever I put there.
“We don’t just pick a team and hope for the best.
“There is no lack of seriousness in the preparation and performance.
“The reality is that as a manager I would take winning the FA Cup.
“I love that competition. But the business head on me says it is more important to stay in the Premier League.
“Look, any game that doesn’t go your way gives a horrible feeling. You just balance it out better as you mature as a manager.
“We’ve got a tough game in the cup but we’ve also got tough games in the next three or four against top teams in the Premier League.”
The Burnley boss is looking forward to being re-united with George Boyd.
Former Clarets midfielder Boyd, 34, had three successful seasons at Turf Moor after Dyche matched the club’s transfer record to buy him for £3million back in 2014.
The Clarets’ defence will also be wary of Posh front two Mo Eisa and Ivan Toney, who are the top two scorers in League One this season — Toney has 15 and Eisa 13.
That gives Darren Ferguson’s men a decent chance of an upset and the Scot cannot wait. He said: “This is a good time to take a break from the league.
“My message has been, ‘You may never get this opportunity again, so we’re going to give it a go and enjoy it.’
“We can’t carry anyone. We have to go and try and express ourselves.
“I’ve played against Premier League teams before and you get to the end of the game and think we never really hurt them, we got beat, and it’s a bit of a waste of a day.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
