Season of adjustment will only help Burnley forward Matej Vydra, says boss Sean Dyche
The Czech Republic international has endured a frustrating campaign, after signing from Derby County in the last week of the transfer window for £11m.
The 27-year-old has made only 13 Premier League appearances so far this term.
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Hide AdBut for Dyche, it is part and parcel of life at Turf Moor in the top flight – the club can’t necessarily afford ready-made Premier League players, and have to take their time developing them in house.
He points to the example of Michael Keane, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Nick Pope and James Tarkowski as players who followed a similar path, having to be patient for their opportunities at this level, before emerging.
And Dyche said he hopes Vydra will benefit for his experience this term: “That is the idea.
“We have seen with the different players over my time here.
“Keano, I think he only had 18 games in his first season in the Premier League, and then had a full season in the Championship, and then a full season in the Premier League, and the rest is history.
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Hide Ad“Johann, Popey, Tarky – they had been with us a season before they got a look in.
“We are looking for that kind of thought, and can he come again and offer something different, because it is not always an instant thing.
“A lot of players do take time to adjust to the Premier League or to be playing in the Premier League.”
Vydra wasn’t fully fit when he arrived in the summer, also missing out on a full pre-season with the club, and Dyche added: “He came in really late last pre-season and he wasn’t fit when he came in because of some complexities with the Derby situation, where he hadn’t been training with any real intensity.
“All those things have to be factored in so we will see.”
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Hide AdVydra was lively after coming off the bench in the 2-0 defeat at Everton on Friday night, and shpould have had a penalty after a shove from Keane, and Dyche noted: “He has been waiting for it and been around it and trying to find the moment.
“He could have nicked us a penalty on another day possibly.”
Vydra may have started on the night, as Dyche pondered changes, but, as it was, he only swapped his wide players, with Robbie Bradyy and Gudmundsson coming in for Dwight McNeil and Jeff Hendrick: “I didn’t want to change it to be honest because the team had been doing so well that I wanted to leave it alone, but I thought we had the opportunity.
“There were going to be other changes but in the end those two were the ones – to get Robbie and Johann some football.”