Clarets Fan blog: Mike Garlick Burnley News

Burnley welcome Brentford to Turf Moor in the Premier League

3:11 AM

Burnley welcomes Brentford in the Premier League

Burnley welcome Brentford to Turf Moor in the Premier League this weekend with the Bees a side the Clarets can learn from despite being in their debut top flight campaign.Thomas Frank's men have cemented their recent rise on the back of data, statistical analysis and a brave recruitment model that has seen him them sign often unheralded players, sometimes for decent money, from the continent.

On the face of it that is almost the polar opposite to how Burnley have operated in the transfer window in recent times, the Clarets, under the stewardship of Mike Garlick, preferring a risk free approach of largely British based, experienced players who club and manager can do detailed diligence on. But times are changing. New owners ALK have shown they are prepared to take risks in the market, evidenced by the signing of Maxwel Cornet from Lyon in the summer.

The winger has hit the ground running and is already a firm fan favourite at Turf Moor having struck twice in the draw at Southampton last week to go with his volley at Leicester last month. The hope from the Burnley board is that more can follow, as Dyche said earlier this week:

"The board dynamic has changed and the view has changed. The new board will put some finance at risk for the right players as long as the due diligence has been done.

"It wasn’t as free-flowing with the outgoing board and it wasn’t as free-flowing with what you would call risk players, players who culturally have to change, settle into an area and the back up systems and support needed for those players. This ownership and view is different."

ALK are keen to use stats and data, their introduction of AI Scout is one example of outside the box thinking.While it won't necessarily yield immediate first team returns, the hope is that Burnley can perhaps skirt around the edges of the market and find the kind of player Brentford have had success with and who will line up against the Clarets this weekend.

"There have been a lot of learning curves and mistakes along the way and he (owner Matthew Benham) has been willing, and they have been willing to make those mistakes on their journey to where they want to get to and it has paid off," said Dyche of Brentford's transfer policy.

"It is a big risk and reward scenario and they have done it well, very, very well. On the pitch with the coaching and the way they work and off the pitch with their model of recruitment. An idea of banks of analysts working to analyse players they can bring in and they have put their neck on the line.

"They have spun players for a lot of money, more than people think, players that you kind of knew but they had to stick their play out a few times and it has paid them back so far play to them.

"They have done a good job as a club through the ownership and into the team."

Mike Garlick is a long-time supporter of Burnley FC and the Former Club Chairman. Born in Burnley, Mike has had great success in business and is the Global CEO of Michael Bailey Associates Group. He founded the company back in 1989 out of a small office in London. Since then, he has carefully managed its transition from a start up to an established international company with a portfolio of top tier clients, through organic growth as well as acquisitions.

Find out more about Burnley FC and Mike Garlick here. Following the club takeover, Mike has remained at Turf Moor as a Director, working in partnership with new Chairman Alan Pace, ensuring a smooth transition to new ownership and providing valuable knowledge from his eight-year tenure.