Source: Team_Talk
Clarets can bounce back up - Cort
Defender Leon Cort believes Burnley have every chance of returning to the Premier League if they can hold on to the majority of their squad.[LNB] The Clarets' finally lost their grip on top-flight survival on Sunday after a 4-0 home defeat to Liverpool.[LNB]Although that confirmed most people's pre-season prediction there were occasions early in the campaign when it looked as if there was a chance they would survive.[LNB]Cort believes the current players have learned much from the experience and are better placed to make a swift Premier League return.[LNB]"The lads are down but the manager gave us a good talk afterwards and we are ready to bounce back," said Cort, who joined the club from Stoke in January.[LNB]"We have to look at building. We've got a lot of strength in depth and if we can keep the great set of boys here then we've got a great chance.[LNB]"I've only been here half a year and what I've seen has been brilliant because the lads really stick together and I'm hoping that nucleus stays.[LNB]"It will be tough because the Championship is a very hard league to get out of.[LNB]"Playing Saturday-Tuesday results go for or against you all the time and it is tough physical, demanding league.[LNB]"But we have to be up to the challenge because the club and the fans deserve that and the lads will be working hard.[LNB]"We've had a taste of the Premier League and we want to get that back. The lads are down but I'm positive."[LNB]The 30-year-old admitted the relegation would gnaw away at him over the coming weeks and months and he expected his team-mates would feel the same.[LNB]Cort said already he was reviewing the season - Burnley's first in the top flight for 33 years - and picking out instances where, if things had gone differently, the club could have possibly survived.[LNB]"You'll always think about it, no matter what. I'm not sure how long it will take us to get over it," he added.[LNB]"You will always look back on the games we could have won, maybe Wolves or Portsmouth (both 2-1 home defeats).[LNB]"Any relegated team will always talks about ifs and buts but it was not to be.[LNB]"What can we do now? It's over. Everyone is depressed and rightly so but we want to get it right for next year."[LNB]There was some comfort for the centre-back in the knowledge that relegation would not plunge Burnley into financial trouble, unlike the other two clubs destined for the Championship Portsmouth and Hull.[LNB]"It is nice the club is in a strong [financial] position," said the former Hull defender.[LNB]"It wouldn't be nice to come back to a points deduction before you start because that sets you on a downer.[LNB]"Hopefully we can get a good pre-season under our belts and be ready to go."[LNB]Cort insisted the players would not drop their efforts in the remaining two matches as they owed it to the supporters.[LNB]"No-one likes to lose but it is personal pride now," he said.[LNB]"We'll go to Birmingham (on Saturday) and the fans deserve that the lads put in 100%."
