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Burnley's 'journey'

Speculation and critical comment continues to surround the takeover of Burnley.  Some of this may just arise from envy that an 'unfashionable' club like the Clarets could attract an investor, but there is enough substance to merit consideration.

The report below from off the pitch.com contains as many questions as answers.   Calling them a 'small' team seems a bit harsh given the club's historical and recent record.   I don't like the word 'journey' in a football context very much and I doubt whether it is much used in Burnley, e.g., people don't say 'I'm going on a journey to Blackburn.'  In this case, a destination has been identified, but getting there may be more tricky.

Asked for a comment, the local Claret said: 'I am both apprehensive and a bit excited by the new model. Faced with the realities of the transfer market Mr. Pace seems to have followed his predecessors in doing nothing. Predecessors also talked about a “global brand”, but I’m pretty sceptical. Can we imagine half of Asia sporting a claret shirt and daydreaming about climbing Pendle, eating potato pies and seeing the legendary Turf Moor (now rebranded as “The Happy Place”) from the inside? Still, let’s enjoy the moment.'

Off the pitch.com argue, 'The Burnley takeover looks fragile. The financial commitment from the new owners seems rather small and problems could occur due to the lack of financial power and secured backing from banks.'

'At the same time Alan Pace and the ALK team have started a very interesting journey with Burnley FC. They want to turn a small Premier League team into a commercial success on the global scene. That’s a brilliantly ambitious plan – but also a tricky one.'

'So far Alan Pace and ALK are saying all the right things – but we can’t judge them until we have seen how they react when things go wrong. It is then that they will show everyone whether they have properly understood the kind of asset they have acquired.'

'One major question is the power of Sean Dyche at Burnley. What is the fit like between Dyche and the new American owners? And not least - what is left at Burnley if Dyche departs? How strong is the infrastructure and the strategy at the club?'

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