Kyle Walker has publicly shouldered the blame for Burnley's disastrous start to the Championship season. The stand-in captain said his own performances have fallen below the required standard as the club sits bottom of the table without a victory after seven games.
Walker, wearing the armband in Josh Cullen's absence, initiated talks with local media, club staff and supporters this week to address the crisis. The 36-year-old defender described the situation as unacceptable and called for collective responsibility from the playing squad.
"I'll take accountability of myself, first and foremost," Walker said. "We need to man up and man up very quickly."
A candid admission
The former Manchester City player did not seek excuses, referencing the managerial change from Vincent Kompany to Mike Jackson and then to Nicky Hayen. He argued the team has now played enough matches to overcome any transitional difficulties. Walker pointed to individual errors in recent defeats, like the 2-1 loss at Swansea City, but refused to blame teammates.
He identified a lack of experienced leaders in the dressing room as a problem but insisted the available talent must step up. "The numbers of the leaders and the experienced players is a little bit low," Walker admitted. "We need to make sure that we breed the environment and the culture."
Message to the fans
Ahead of Saturday's home match against Derby County, which manager Nicky Hayen has labelled a must-win, Walker appealed for patience and positive support from the Turf Moor crowd. He warned that groans after mistakes only encourage opposition teams.
"We need you," Walker told supporters. "When we make a bad pass and you hear groans, the opposition feeds off that."
He stressed the importance of treating every game with a winning mentality, a standard he was accustomed to during his trophy-laden spell at City. The right-back said the current predicament is a new and difficult experience in his long career.
Looking forward
Walker sees the upcoming international break as a potential reset point, but only if the team delivers a result against Derby first. He emphasised that every player must be able to look in the mirror after 90 minutes knowing they gave everything.
The squad will be looking to end their winless run and climb off the foot of the Championship table. Fans can check the team's upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page and view the current league standings. Burnley's next match is at home to Derby County on Saturday.
