“THE BEST CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM I’VE SEEN IN 25 YEARS,” SAYS WARNOCK
When it comes to experienced managers in English football, few can contend with the legacy of Huddersfield Town boss Neil Warnock. So when the 74-year-old manager said following Huddersfield’s 4-0 defeat to Championship leaders Burnley on Saturday, that the Clarets were the best team he’s seen in the competition in a quarter a century, most peoples’ ears pricked up.
Red-hot Burnley are having a terrific season and currently lead the Championship with 76 points, 12 points ahead of second-placed Sheffield United and 19 points from third-placed Middlesbrough. Slated for automatic promotion and a probable 4th championship title, Burnley lead the Championship in almost every category, including goals scored (68) and fewest goals conceded (28).
Warnock has seen it all, as evidenced by his impressive 43-year-old managerial career . The Sheffield-born man was in charge of his hometown club, Sheffield United, in August of 1999 when he suffered the heaviest defeat of his managerial tenure, a 6-0 beat down by Manchester City in the Championship at Maine Road.
The recently unretired coach was a manager in the Championship when he saw Fulham storm the division in 2000-01, Manchester City score a record 108 goals the following season and record-holders Reading reach 106 points in 2005-06. So when he says this current Burnley side is the best team he’s seen in over two decades, something right must be happening at Turf Moor.
Warnock said following the game, “Burnley are the best team I’ve seen in the last 20-25 years in the Championship. I don’t see a weakness in their team. They’ve got the strength if people want to battle with them. They’ve got the ability if people want to play. They’ve got good professionals.”
The 11-time EFL Championship Manager of the Month has steered three different clubs to the Premier League and was full of praise for the coaching staff at Burnley. He said, “I think Vincent [Kompany] has done a fabulous job. And Craig Bellamy. Between them, they’ve done a brilliant [job] because It wasn’t easy when they came in. They came in and had to change styles and personnel. People think it’s a piece of cake. The Championship is not easy. So I think they’ve done a remarkable job.”
“They’re the best side I’ve seen in my last 25 years of management. I don’t think Vincent Kompany has been given enough credit for what he’s done. I think that team could play in the Premier League now. It’s exciting for Burnley.”
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany was appreciative of the sentiment from Warnock but insisted that the job was not done and that his team needs to get better. “I can appreciate the compliment, of course, but as much as I appreciate it, I have a feeling that the job’s not done yet,” he said. “Maybe we’ll look back at this season and say this team has done well, but at the moment we haven’t achieved anything. We are still number 21 in English football, so that lives throughout the team. We have got to get better!”
Kompany said after the game, “Any team that comes here, we hope that they will see what we want this place to be. Every game that we play we want to win and that’s the mission…”
Burnley were outstanding against Huddersfield and scored, for the 14th time this season, three or more goals in a single fixture. The Clarets went 3-0 up before half-time, the fourth time they’ve done so this year and completely dominated the 92-minute battle at Turf Moor. Although the Terriers tried to put up a fight, Burnley ran circles around them, outplaying them in almost every aspect of the game.
The Clarets, however, got some sad news during the game as right back Ian Maatsen went down due to a shoulder injury twelve minutes into the second half. The 20-year-old has scored 4 goals and provided 5 assists in 29 appearances this season, and has been a crucial part of the season that Burnley are having. Currently on loan from Chelsea, the Lancashire-based team will hope they can keep the Netherlands Under-21 international after this season, especially if they advance to the Premier League.
Victory over Huddersfield Town on Saturday was Burnley’s 22nd win in the Championship so far this season. The team has now won 13 of their last 14 games at home and have scored in 31 consecutive games.
No other Burnley team has ever won more than 26 matches in a league campaign. Although the team clearly has their sights on winning the Championship title and securing a return to the Premier League, Burnley will look to clinch and extend that record soon enough. The team still has twelve more matches left to play and next face Blackpool away from home after playing Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup on Wednesday.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero