Should I be nervous about Sean Dyche’s extension not being confirmed yet?
Sean Dyche
No recent word on his extension, except a passing mention from Chris Boden that it was expected to be signed last month. Hope we’re still on the rails there.
Transfer Market News
Too many rumors to keep track of when checking in just once a week, but here are the moves that seem the most significant (the rest are all U23 and younger, and some of these are even just U23 for the moment):
- Joel Mumbongo is going out on loan to Accrington Stanley, a League One club between Burnley and Blackburn. Sounds like he could return in January, but the loan is designed to be a one-year deal.
- Ben Gibson, who was on loan at Norwich last year, is now a permanent Norwicher.
- Mark Helm and Jacob Bedeau have each joined the U23 squad. Helm is 19 years old, comes from the Manchester United program, and plays midfield. Bedeau is 21, played with Aston Villa back when they were in the Championship, and played most recently with Scunthorpe United down in League Two. He’s a defender.
Internationals
The Matěj Vydra heroics never came despite his late entry into the Czech Republic’s quarterfinal match against Denmark. Would imagine there’s some sort of conspiracy here to hold Burnley back, but who am I to uncover such drama?
In happier Vydra news, it looks like he got married:
Congratulations, Burnleyman.
Friendlies
Three exhibitions have been announced, all at the end of the month: Saturday the 24th, at Oldham Athletic; Tuesday the 27th, at Blackpool; Saturday the 31st, at Nottingham Forest. Oldham’s a League Two squad, the others are going to be in the Championship this year.
Training Camp
Which reminds me: Aside from Chris Wood, who’s preparing for the Olympics down in New Zealand, the team is back in Burnley, with training resuming today. Already at that point in the summer. Seize it while it lasts.
Partner Clubs
Cobh Ramblers lost to Bray Wanderers last weekend, giving up a one-goal lead to lose 2-1. They’ll visit Galway United tomorrow. The Ramblers sit eighth in the ten-team table just past the halfway point. They’re seven points back of promotion playoff territory and eleven points back of second-place Galway.
Ayr United drew one friendly and lost another, both against clubs from the Premiership. They’ll begin Scottish League Cup play on Tuesday hosting Edinburgh City, who plays down in the fourth tier in Scotland (Ayr United’s in the second tier). This is the group stage of the Cup, so the Honest Men will have four matches in which to earn themselves a place in the knockout stage, for which sixteen teams qualify. Ayr United is one of two second-tier clubs in their group, with the others from the third and fourth tiers. To advance, they’ll need to either win the group or be one of the top three second-place finishers across all eight groups.
Portadown’s fixtures have been announced. They’ll open play on August 28th.
Llandudno split a pair of friendlies, the loss coming against a ninth-tier English squad, Avro FC, while the win came over a third-tier Welsh club (Llandudno’s in the second tier over there).
