TAYLOR TALKS SHOWING FIGHT AHEAD OF CHERRIES TEST

Left back on importance of believing and sticking together

With Sunday’s game against AFC Bournemouth fast-approaching, Charlie Taylor has been looking ahead to the encounter and says the team have been working hard to put on a positive performance.

“When you’re down at the bottom and things aren’t going great. It’s natural to get down and it’s hard to stay positive. But I think the gaffer as a person is hugely positive in everything, in all aspects. He’s big on staying positive, staying together, staying as a team and keep believing.

“I think everyone outside the Club has written us off but look as long as we still believe and we believe as a team that we can do it, that we can stay up – that’s all that matters really.

“Coming off the back of such an unbelievable season last year, I think people just – I’m not saying us – but people on the outside may have just thought we were going to be fine. Look the step up from the Championship to the Premier League is huge, we’ve seen it in previous years where a lot of teams do struggle. We’ve struggled but we’re still fighting away, we’re still working hard every day. I know the table doesn’t look good at the minute, but we do honestly believe that we can turn it round and obviously it starts Sunday.”

Having spoken of the need for belief, where does this come from and how is it being instilled into the players?

“I think the manager really, it comes from the manager. He’s such a positive person, even after defeats and after games. When naturally you do get down and heads are down, he’s always the first one to come and pick us up, remain positive and tell us all ‘we can all still get out of this if we believe’.

“We’ve all got to believe, and I think that’s on us experienced players as well, the older ones. We’ve got a young squad, a lot of young talent and its for us and the coaching staff to tell them as well that look we’re not out of it, we’re fighting away, we’re working hard every day and it’s still doable, it’s possible.”

Is it a case of having a reset button?

“I think you’ve got to. You can’t really dwell on the past games and past results. We know we’ve not been good enough recently, but I think it’s time to reset. There are twelve games to go, twelve cup finals, twelve huge games and I think if we can start Sunday and take it one game at a time. If we can get a win then who knows, that’ll breed confidence and who knows where we can go from there.”

So, looking at the opposition what is Taylor expecting from Andoni Iraola’s team?

“Back when we played them at their place, I think we were level with them on points on the day, it was tight. Since then, they’ve gone on an unbelievable run and full credit to them. They are a really good side. A lot of top players and it’ll be a challenge, we know what they’re going to bring on Sunday.”

And the 30-year-old, who scored his first goal for Burnley the last time the two sides met, believes three points would give the team a significant boost.

“In this league, especially for teams like us down the bottom, just three points is huge, it’s massive. Just for everything, looking at the table, just confidence around the whole place. A win and three points will do us the world of good.”

This week manager Vincent Kompany said it’s important the squad visualise winning games and attach that feeling to the game, which Taylor says is a benefit.

“That sort of naturally happens and you do visualise winning or even if you’re looking further ahead at the bigger picture of staying up. It’s hard not to visualise and I think that is good in a way. It makes you even more determined to achieve it. It’s only a good thing.”

The Clarets season has been tough and Taylor appreciates that while promoted teams can find it a challenge, now is the time to show fight.

“We obviously were one of the favourites to go down, coming up from the Championship. But it is all about belief, even now throughout the whole season, even when we were in a healthier position to where we are now, things don’t look good for us, there’s no denying that, everyone can see that. But belief is huge, we need that, we need to still believe right until it’s mathematically impossible for us to stay up. We need to carry on believing and that comes from within, from the whole group and everyone.”

Has the left back found the campaign and current position in the table frustrating?

“I mean some things you try and get your head round it, try work out what’s gone wrong, how it’s gone wrong, how we find ourselves in this position. But sometimes there aren’t answers to the questions. What I can say is every day we’re coming in; we’re working so hard to put it right. It’s not through a lack of effort or anything like that. The staff, the players, we put a lot of hours in on the training ground. Sometimes it is what it is. We won’t give up until like I say it’s not possible.”

Following a run of challenging results, Taylor believes three points on Sunday afternoon could act as a springboard moving forward.

“Yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve had a win. I think just in this league a win and three points is so big, it’s like the be all and end all. It’s such a big thing so I think if we can get three points, we’ll really cherish it. I think more for confidence as well, it’ll be big for confidence, and we can use that as a spring for the remaining games as well.

“It’d be a huge lift, not just for the players, for the whole club, the fans, the stadium. It’ll be a lift for everyone.”