Burnley boss Sean Dyche hits back after being 'massively misquoted' on Leeds United's transfer spend

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SEAN Dyche says he has been "massively misquoted" on Leeds United's transfer spend and that Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa has "done an absolutely fantastic job."

Burnley boss Dyche will send out his 15th-placed Clarets to face Bielsa's Whites for the second time this Premier League season in Saturday's lunch time kick-off at Turf Moor (kick-off 12.30pm).

Newly-promoted Leeds sit tenth and their progress has been the subject of much discussion, including in a recent exchange between former Rangers striker Kris Boyd and Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling on Sky Sports.

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Boyd highlighted the fact that Leeds had spent £100m on new players last summer and Stelling responded by hailing United's progress in saying that many of their rivals that they were competing with had spent close to that amount on one player.

IT WASN'T ME: Says Burnley boss Sean Dyche, centre, who says he has been massively misquoted about Leeds United's transfer spend. Photo by OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.IT WASN'T ME: Says Burnley boss Sean Dyche, centre, who says he has been massively misquoted about Leeds United's transfer spend. Photo by OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.
IT WASN'T ME: Says Burnley boss Sean Dyche, centre, who says he has been massively misquoted about Leeds United's transfer spend. Photo by OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.

But Dyche said he was then erroneously quoted about the debate, despite referring to the exchange in the aftermath of last month's 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle United.

Dyche was asked if he looked enviously at the options the Magpies had that he didn't such as Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin and said: "No, not really enviously. I believe in my players and in what we try and do and it's been like that ever since I have been here.

"I don't think we have been spending fortunes. I had to laugh, actually, someone made a comment about Leeds and said they'd only spent £100 million, that'd be nice. We have spent £750,000 so that's a challenge."

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Speaking just over one month later at Thursday's pre-Leeds press conference, Dyche was asked what he had made of United this season upon their Premier League return and said: "Firstly I made the fact that I was massively misquoted about a comment that Jeff Stelling made actually to Kris Boyd I believe when we were watching it one day when he said they have only spent £100 million and then somehow that got applied to me.

"I know why because it makes good clickbait but I was surprised.

"So to be clear I didn't say that, it was Jeff and I understood his point in some ways because Leeds are a big football club.

"But to say it was 'only' a £100 million, well, he must have a few quid himself if he describes it as 'only' a £100 million.

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"I merely suggested that they have spent £100 million and didn't question the manager because I think he has done an absolutely fantastic job.

"He quite clearly has a style that he stands by, he quite clearly has motivated the players both last season and this season to do the job and do it they have, that's for sure.

"There is never a question mark about the manager and never a question mark about managers in general actually.

"My respect level is off the scale for managers because I know how difficult the job is.

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"So just to clear that up that's my first thing - it's silly silly Jeff who I do know.

"He's a top guy but it's his comment, not mine."

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Thank you Laura Collins