Dyche happy to fight alone against diving

Burnley boss Sean Dyche has revealed “prominent managers” have warned him he is hurting his career by his fierce opposition to diving. Dyche’s latest comments came last weekend after Callum Hudson-Odoi was booked for simulation in the box during Chelsea’s 4-2 victory at Turf Moor. “We’ve got a meeting coming up with the Premier League and it is one of the talking points, so that could be interesting,” said Dyche. “I’m not backward in coming forward. “I’ve been told by other prominent managers to stop going on about it because it will affect my career. I said, ‘Sorry, not my bag’. You have to be true to yourself and able to look at yourself in the mirror.”
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard and a number of media pundits defended Hudson-Odoi, citing a touch in his back by Matt Lowton.
Dyche feels he is a lone voice speaking out against diving and is perplexed by being made to feel like the villain.
The Clarets manager is particularly concerned by behaviour he witnesses at junior level.
He added: “Bear in mind I’ve been in football all my life, I’ve watched it all my life, at every age group, from seven, which my lad Max played in, through every age group, to the under-18s on Wednesday night, and people are going down with nothing wrong with them, and all that. And somehow I end up coming out of it the bad guy. I can’t fathom it at all.”
Burnley are next in action on Saturday when they make the trip across the Pennines to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The Blades have made a strong start to the Premier League campaign and sit in eight place in the table ahead of the arrival of the Clarets this weekend.