Darikwa focused on fight to regain first team place

Tendayi Darikwa is looking to wrest back the right back slot from Matt Lowton in the Premier League.
Burnley's Tendayi Darikwa is tackled by Queens Park Rangers' Leroy Fer

Photographer Craig Mercer/CameraSport

Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Queens Park Rangers v Burnley - Saturday 12th December 2015 -  Loftus Road

© CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.comBurnley's Tendayi Darikwa is tackled by Queens Park Rangers' Leroy Fer

Photographer Craig Mercer/CameraSport

Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Queens Park Rangers v Burnley - Saturday 12th December 2015 -  Loftus Road

© CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.com
Burnley's Tendayi Darikwa is tackled by Queens Park Rangers' Leroy Fer Photographer Craig Mercer/CameraSport Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Queens Park Rangers v Burnley - Saturday 12th December 2015 - Loftus Road © CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - [email protected] - www.camerasport.com

Darikwa joined Burnley from Chesterfield for £650,000 last summer, was an ever-present in the side until December, when fellow new arrival Lowton broke into the team.

And the former Aston Villa man retained his place for the rest of the season as the Clarets claimed the Championship title.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Darikwa returned for the FA Cup ties at Middlesbrough and Arsenal, but spent the remainder of the campaign on the bench.

However, he is focused on pushing himself back into the side in pre-season.

He said: “My aim is just to get back into the starting 11 and put in some good performances.

“For me, it’s about working hard and hoping I get a chance to contribute.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I finished the season out of the team and my aim is to get to the start of the season fit and healthy and hopefully I can impress the manager.”

The 24-year-old enjoyed his first season at Championship level, and the experience of a promotion season, and is delighted with how things are going at Turf Moor: “If you had told me a couple of years ago that I could be playing for Burnley, winning the Championship and getting promoted to the Premier League, I would have snapped your hand off.

“Obviously I was disappointed not to play every game, as a footballer you want to, but I’m at a good club with a lot of good players.

“The main reason I signed was to get promoted.

“Getting promoted was special. As a new player, I was pleased to be able to play a part.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He now faces a new challenge, as one of the few players in the squad not to have experienced Premier League football, although he had a taste of what is in store in January at the Emirates.

Playing at venues such as Elland Road on his debut will also be a help, as he explained: “I had to learn to play against better players and improve technically (in the Championship).

“But I think I coped relatively well with the step up.

“Playing against Arsenal was nice, my first game at a Premier League ground and an FA Cup game too.

“But making my debut at Leeds, away, stood out – I don’t think there’s any tougher first game in English football.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“At Burnley we have players who have been in the Premier League and last season we had Joey Barton, someone who has played at the highest level for a number of years – you do learn little bits off them.

“We’re a confident group and a close group and we believe in ourselves.”