---
title: "Burnley: Ben Mee’s latest comments reflect sharp U-turn on recent bullish claim [Opinion]"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/burnley-ben-mee-comments-claim-europe-contract-situation/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Burnley"
published: "2020-06-24T13:00:49Z"
modified: "2020-06-24T13:00:49Z"
---

# Burnley: Ben Mee’s latest comments reflect sharp U-turn on recent bullish claim \[Opinion\]

**Last weekend, Burnley defender Ben Mee said \[via [Pendle Today](https://www.pendletoday.co.uk/sport/football/ben-mee-europe-still-well-within-reach-burnley-2889786)\] that Europa League qualification was within the Clarets’ reach.**

However, after Sean Dyche’s depleted side [lost 5-0 at Manchester City](https://www.skysports.com/football/man-city-vs-burnley/report/408275) on Monday, with a threadbare squad due to [injuries](https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18534611.man-city-5-burnley-0-dyche-left-frustrated-city-hammer-clarets/) and out-of-contract players not selected, the 30-year-old has found himself singing a rather more sombre tune.

With [five senior players](https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/ben-mee-gives-verdict-burnley-18472364) set to leave the club next Tuesday after their deals expire, Mee told [Lancashire Live](https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/ben-mee-gives-verdict-burnley-18472364): “It is interesting what is going on at our club at the minute. It is a lot of games to play in a short space of time and the lads need to keep themselves fit and we don’t have a big squad at all.

“We are missing a few players and have let a few players go and I don’t know what to say about it to be honest. We have just got to work hard and grind it out and that is what we will do as a group of players.”

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

[First team regulars](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/184/Show/England-Burnley) Jeff Hendrick and Phil Bardsley, along with the [frequently-deployed](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/184/Show/England-Burnley) Aaron Lennon, were all absent from [Burnley’s squad for the trip to the Etihad Stadium](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3219169) as their contracts at Turf Moor [come to an end next week](https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/ben-mee-gives-verdict-burnley-18472364), with no sign of the club offering new deals.

The spate of absentees meant that Dyche [wasn’t even able to name](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3219169) the maximum nine substitutes permitted and included [several previously unseen youngsters](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3219169) such as Max Thompson, who was introduced in the closing minutes for [his senior debut](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/max-thompson/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/598958/verein/1132).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”304227″\]

The Clarets have had little time to nurse their wounds from their Manchester City battering as they are back into action tomorrow when they play host to Watford, the [second of nine matches in a hectic 35-day period](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-burnley/spielplandatum/verein/1132). That is a lot to ask of any squad, never mind one like Burnley’s which has been ravaged by unfortunate circumstances of late.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Mee’s rapid mood shift from bullishly targeting European qualification to simply hoping that he and his team-mates can “grind it out” for the rest of the season reflects how difficult a week it has been for Burnley since the Premier League resumed.

Between the contract situation which [drew Dyche’s ire](https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/everything-sean-dyche-said-burnley-18446222), the hammering at the Etihad and a controversial airplane banner which was [furiously condemned by Mee and the club](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53145201), the mood around Turf Moor has darkened considerably in recent days.

\[freshpress-poll id=”306098″\]

Thankfully the Clarets are in [no realistic danger](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table) of being sucked into a relegation battle, although they could do with a couple of positive results soon to lift spirits after a miserable few days for the Lancashire club.

***Burnley fans, what did you make of Mee’s latest remarks so soon after he claimed they could qualify for Europe? Have your say by commenting below!***