Lancashire

Burnley boss Scott Parker has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Turf Moor (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On a break in between games: "It's a good time to get some downtime. Reflect a little bit. It's very positive, the last week in the training ground the energy level and commitment has been there like it was last year."

• On injuries: "Marcus [Edwards] has been training this week. [Zian] Flemming has too. Both were on modified schedules at the start of the week and trained at the back end of the week. We'll have to see tomorrow if they're fully up to speed. We'll make that decision closer to Saturday."

• On Kyle Walker retiring from international football: "What he gave to England was nothing short of remarkable. He's been a major focal point for us as a nation. He decided to make that decision with our full blessing. It gives him some time during international breaks. Hopefully it can help us."

• Parker added there is so suggestion that Walker could retire from football altogether.

• On the rise of set-pieces in the game: "The game has changed. We've seen that this year - set-plays and a lot of transitions. The physicality of the Premier League has gone up tenfold. Set-plays, even from kick-off and throw-ins, you've seen a big evolution in the game. Two or three years ago you didn't really see that. Ashley Barnes is a type that has the experience of what that game looked like and is starting to look like."

• Parker spoke at length about his responsibility to the young players and their future, aside from just short-term success. "My job and duty as well as winning games is also I have a responsibility to these young men and I need to help and support them. If I have to be sacrificed for that that's fine so long as I do what I believe is right to make this team better for the long term."

• He continued: "Being short-sighted you can say this season has been a failure and it's true because we don't want to be in this situation and bigger picture, longer term is what you hold onto as core values. We had success last year. We'll be learning from this. You'll see a better team and individuals from this. Just because you're not always successful doesn't mean you can't be successful. That success will come. There's a culture here. I know we'll be OK."

• On their lack of consistency, he said: "The level of consistency in game for us is something we need to address. Why do we start slow in certain games and then at 2-0 down come back and dominate? These are constant questions we're trying to work out. That's a journey. It's a frustrating one. We keep trying to work it out."

There will be full commentary of the game this weekend on BBC Radio 5 Live, starting on Sports Extra (until the Ireland v Scotland rugby game is over).

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom conceded his side were outplayed by the "hunger and drive" of Championship leaders Coventry City on Wednesday.

The Lilywhites trailed 2-0 at the break and then found themselves 3-0 down early in the second half, after a penalty award which was hotly disputed by his team.

They have now won just one of their last 11 league games.

Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "We knew it was going to be a difficult place to come because they are really at it and they didn't disappoint.

"They were really hungry from minute one, how they competed when they lost the ball. We weren't brilliant with the ball all night but I thought we were a bit loose early on with their pressure.

"With the first goal, you can say they've earned their luck but the second goal we are disappointed with.

"We lost three first contacts, really, in the box, Dan [Iversen] makes a good save, but that hunger and drive is why they are up there and scoring all the goals.

"And, listen, it's not a penalty. Their lads have said that. That sort of took the game away from us.

"I felt good about the second half, we thought we'd get that little bit of luck, and that made it a tough night.

"We felt we had one at the other end but it didn't come."

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's visit to league leaders Coventry City (20:00 GMT).

Here are the main talking points:

• Callum Lang has strained his hamstring whilst recovering from a knock and is unlikely to feature until after the international break. Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire that due to "his history, it would be too risky" for him to return sooner.

• Lewis Gibson has torn a shoulder muscle making him "a doubt" for the matchday squad. Goalkeeper Daniel Iversen returned to training fully this week. He is "fit and available" so could travel to Coventry.

• The Championship "is a hard league, an unforgiving league" which is why Heckingbottom says North End have slipped down to 13th in the table after dropping too many points in a five-game winless run.

• He cites "conceding too many goals" as the key reason Preston have fallen away from the play-off spots.

• Their next opponents Coventry City are "a dangerous team", he says. "They've got firepower, they're never out of it. They win games when they're not playing well because they have that firepower."

• Heckingbottom's message to fans is "to stay with the team". "We are up against it and we have to battle and fight," he adds. "We need everyone to do that, we need the fans to do that as well.

Listen to the full interview with Paul Heckingbottom and more North End on BBC Sounds.

Natalie Bromley
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

A rare moment of hope and positivity this week, in an otherwise miserable season: the Burnley board announced the season ticket packages for next year. And my goodness, did they get it right.

As well as still being one of cheapest prices in the Premier League, there are two major headlines. The first is that the club are investing in youth, protecting the next generation of Clarets with a massive 70% discount for all fans under the age of 21. This is a serious investment from the board, costing what we believe to be several hundreds of thousand pounds, and succeeds in prioritising those fans who will take us into the next chapter of our history.

The second is that all season ticket holders will also attend the first domestic cup home draws in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup at no additional cost. Talk about value! And as someone who still believes in the magic of the cup, and who was gripped to the Wrexham v Chelsea tie this last weekend, this ticks a lot of boxes for me.

Even the club's harshest critics were quick to praise the board for what they had produced. It felt, for the first time in a long time, that a paying fan was being put front and centre again. Which doesn't always feel the case in football these days.

There is a really big game happening at Turf Moor this weekend, but it's not the men's seniors v AFC Bournemouth. Burnley FC Women face Wolverhampton Wanderers in one of the biggest games of their history.

Just two points separate these two teams: win, and the Clarets take the advantage at the top of the league with promotion to WSL2 likely and just three games to go. As we celebrate IWD, it feels right to acknowledge the work Lola Ogunbote and the club have done to build our women's team, and promotion to the second tier feels fitting reward.

Good luck Burnley FC Women.

UTC

Find more from Natalie Bromley at No Nay Never podcast, external