SWANNY'S WORLD OF SPORT: Burnley have bored their way into the top six, Spurs stand still, too much cash in football and local cricket, the real sports personality of 2017

Sean Dyche is second only to Pep Guardiola as the current media darling within Premier League management, for reasons that completely baffle me.

Burnley have bored their way into the top six under his care, but their chances of staying there are nil. I would close the curtains if they were playing on my front lawn.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche.placeholder image
Burnley manager Sean Dyche.

Dyche is also the self-appointed champion of the anti-diving brigade which is great, but his conviction will be tested when one of his own players tumbles rather easily in the penalty area as one of them surely will soon enough as cheating is deeply ingrained in a professional’s mind.

Rather disappointingly Burnley centre-half James Tarkowski’s ugly elbow into the stomach of an opponent last weekend drew little criticism from Dyche. His player’s inevitable three-game ban drew much more criticism from a typically one-eyed boss.

Dirty Dele Alli (left).placeholder image
Dirty Dele Alli (left).

HERO OF THE WEEK

Anthony Joshua, the real UK Sports personality of 2017, didn’t finish in the top three of the BBC vote, beaten by a fading athlete, a bloke I’ve never heard of and a contestant from Strictly Come Dancing. As Brexit is proving you can never trust a public vote so I urge you to join me and salute our greatest world champion, one with a genuine personality.

SPURS ARE STANDING STILL

Standing still is not an option in the Premier League these days. There is too much cash sloshing about so, unless Ronald Koeman gets to spend it, teams will improve. Someone needs to tell Spurs. Apart from spiteful Dele Alli, they’re no worse than last season, but the rest of the top clubs are much better.

The real Sports Personality of 2017, Anthony Joshua.placeholder image
The real Sports Personality of 2017, Anthony Joshua.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE MONEY

One day, a local cricketer will admit he is moving clubs because he’s received a terrific financial offer. Players like to talk about ‘new challenges’ and ‘coaching opportunities’ but never about the huge wedge they are taking out of the game. Clubs don’t like to talk about it either, perhaps through embarrassment about the only way they can attract new players.

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