Sean Dyche still plans to manage Maxwel Cornet’s integration into the Burnley side carefully after the French winger impressed in Tuesday’s 4-1 Carabao Cup win over Rochdale.
Cornet was the headline signing of the summer for Burnley, joining in a £13million move from Lyon, but is being eased in gradually.
The 24-year-old made his debut as a substitute in last week’s 1-0 home defeat at Arsenal before playing a starring role on Tuesday night to the delight of the watching fans at Turf Moor.
Burnley head to Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday but Dyche may well resist the urge to put Cornet into the starting line-up again.
“When players hit the ground running and get the feel of the fans towards them the attachment can grow and it’s nice to get that, but it’s the longer-term view that’s more important,” Dyche said.
“I still think you’ve got to manage that wisely, allow him that breather to get involved in the group which he’s slowly but surely doing.”
Dyche said he had been impressed with how Cornet had settled so far, even if there is still a minor language barrier to overcome at times, and feels the reception he has received from the fans can only help.
“It’s advantageous when the crowd likes a player early, it allows them to bring that freedom to their game, particularly players from foreign shores, that early connection is important to help him settle in his life on and off the pitch.”
Burnley were able to flex a little financial muscle this summer following last season’s takeover, allowing Dyche to strengthen a squad which had been depleted in previous seasons as windows came and went without investment.
Though they have made a slow start to the season in terms of results – with only one point from the opening five Premier League games – Dyche hopes the returns of those investments will soon be seen.
“It’s still early but you want it to affect the group and give that little edge to their performance,” he said.
“That’s how I found it as a player – you’re always looking across at what’s in the camp and the possibility of who’s going out – the threat it could be you.
“You want the stimulus both for the group and for individuals.
“We tried to sign players this summer that affect the age balance in the group, that usually costs more but we brought in a few quid as well. The business side of the window has been good and the early signs are the playing side has been as well. There’s more to come from these players.”
Though Cornet shone, the player who stole the headlines on Tuesday night was a much more familiar face as Jay Rodriguez scored all four goals to push his claims for a starting place at Leicester – having been on the bench for all bar one of the league games so far.
“We’ve created a lot of chances this season, changes of quality, but putting them in is the hardest job in the game,” Dyche said. “There’s no pressure on that front from me, but J-Rod came in and delivered without a doubt.
“It’s no easy thing scoring four goals and apart from that last one (a lucky deflection) he did it with aplomb. It’s a good thing to have for us, someone who wants to grab the shirt, and with his performance the other night he’s done himself no harm at all.”
