Sean Dyche apparently doesn’t understand how fandom works

Sean Dyche must not understand how being a fan works.

Dyche said that he didn’t understand why the Leeds United fans were upset with Burnley players Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor, because the club had received a lot of money for the transfers. He was quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post saying “Twenty-odd million they’ve made for a club and they get slaughtered. I don’t know any more how fans react to players, ex-players, all that stuff, but that’s football now. Those two have been fantastic servants to Leeds, if I’m honest. But Woody has done fantastically, walking on to our pitch and scoring, and again in the shootout.”

Does Dyche really think that fans care about the £20 million? Taylor allegedly refused to travel or play for Leeds against Wigan Athletic at the end of last season because he wanted to leave, and Chris Wood recently left, wanting to go to the Premier League after Leeds had brought him in after Leicester City had wanted rid of him. While most fans could at least understand Wood’s wanting a bigger pay-packet and a a chance at the Premier League, you could make a good case that the ambition showed by the new ownership of Leeds made staying at Elland Road another way to get to the Premier League. And Taylor’s contract dispute was ugly, yes, but if Garry Monk is to be believed about the situation surrounding Taylor’s final match at Leeds, of course fans are going to be upset. It’s a slap in the face at everyone at Leeds to refuse to play.

Fans, as a rule, don’t care about money. Yeah, it’s nice to get a good transfer fee, but that’s not the point. Fans put their heart and soul into the club, and expect the players to give it their all. Money doesn’t kick a ball. Money doesn’t score against rivals. And asking for a transfer or refusing to play doesn’t make the player a hero if the club gets some money for them, it just means that the player wanted out. Some players handle moves away from their former club well, some players handle it poorly, and fans hate it when their idols spurn them for another club. How would Sean Dyche feel next year if Wood or Taylor decides to move on to a “bigger” club? Would he expect the Burnley fans to celebrate the pound notes coming in?

People don’t buy shirts with pound notes on them, and there isn’t an emotional connection with a bank balance. Players are loved when they play for a club, and are hated when they leave the club. As it was and forever will be.