‘Confused’ Sean Dyche aims dig at Bournemouth supporters

Matt Stead

Sean Dyche claims he is “confused” by what football fans expect fouls for after Burnley snatched a dramatic 1-0 win from a bad-tempered game at Bournemouth.

Clarets substitute Jay Rodriguez settled a dismal Premier League contest in the 89th minute with the game’s only attempt on target.

An tetchy afternoon on the rain-soaked south coast was littered with free-kicks and bookings, while Burnley striker Ashley Barnes and Cherries midfielder Phillip Billing were both fortunate to escape red cards.

Unimpressed home supporters repeatedly vented their displeasure at the visitors’ direct and physical approach, chanting ‘boring, boring Burnley’ and ‘how do you watch this every week?’, before the late sucker-punch condemned them to a third consecutive home defeat.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche, who was once again critical of perceived diving, had no real issue with any of the contentious challenges and felt a lot of decisions made by referee Martin Atkinson were soft.

“I’m always a bit confused with what the masses want now,” said Dyche.

“It would have driven me mad people diving all over the place – it drives me mad now – but as a fan, I don’t want to watch it.

“But I don’t mind a tackle, I don’t mind a challenge. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s a thing of society.

“If you get touched now, it’s like everyone’s dead, everyone’s properly dead.

“I just find that peculiar, I don’t know where that’s all at.

“There were very low contacts given as fouls. I don’t know what the fans want out of the game.

“That’s up to them. I just have to roll with it, get on with it.”