We have to be so focused and so tuned in

Last updated : 04 April 2009 By Tony Scholes
We had a terrific March that saw Owen come second behind Kevin Blackwell for manager of the month but he said: "March counts for nothing, it's behind us now. What we can do is go out and focus on what's in front of us, and we have to get to the standards we've set all season.

"If we do that we give ourselves a chance. If we don't then the nature of the Championship is that you'll be in a really difficult game. We've had the break now so hopefully some of the lads are refreshed, although we do have a number of injury concerns.

"But I'm pretty sure whoever wears that Burnley shirt they will wear it with immense pride and do everything they can to try to achieve the valuable three points each and every game. There'll be a range of emotions with every game between now and the end of the season, that goes without saying.

"But the focus is just on Derby at the weekend. There's always a tendency to get carried away, but we're about hard work each and every game and we'll look no further than Derby, because it would be folly to do otherwise.

"We're not good enough to look too far ahead of ourselves. We have to be so focused and so tuned in to each and every game we play and the players know the next game coming up is out biggest game of the season.

"Derby is a massive game because the teams at the top end of the Championship play each other, so teams will be picking up points. We have to make sure that we're picking up points too, and where that takes us come Sunday evening, when all the games are played, they we will reassess from there.

"The game is sold out so there'll be over 30,000 in a magnificent stadium with some very good players. I think it is a terrific football environment for people to go and play in a terrific arena, and hopefully my players will grasp that and go out and show their qualities."

Coyle confirmed that he had players struggling for fitness. There are concerns over both Graham Alexander and Martin Paterson with hamstring injuries whilst Rhys Williams has returned from duty with the Welsh with a calf injury.

To add to that Steven Thompson is still no fit enough to resume. He's missed the last two games after coming off injured early in the Nottingham Forest win.