Burnley expectations are high - Duff

05 August 2010 09:44
ong-serving Burnley defender Michael Duff believes the weight of expectation at Turf Moor is greater than ever this season.[LNB] The 32-year-old joined the Clarets from Cheltenham in 2004 and helped them to win promotion to the top flight in May 2009.[LNB]Relegation back to the npower Championship swiftly followed, but Duff can see why bookmakers rate his side among the favourites to go up again this season.[LNB]Duff said: "When I first signed we had about five players and were just trying to stay in the league.[LNB]"You look at the odds this season and I think we are in the bookies' top three or four to get promoted, so there is definitely a lot more expectation at the club now because of the league that we have just come out of.[LNB]"The club is financially secure as well, so people from the outside looking in are expecting us to do well. That's massive pressure in itself and hopefully we can cope with it."[LNB]Duff, meanwhile, is expecting a stern test when his side open their campaign at home to Nottingham Forest.[LNB]He added: "Forest are one the favourites and it's important that we start well but it's not the be-all and end-all.[LNB]"I think the year we got promoted in 2008/09 we had two points after four games and got thumped twice.[LNB]"But obviously everybody is looking forward to starting the season on a positive note and then trying to kick on from there."

Source: Team_Talk