BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche believes the fact he is in the frame for the LMA Manager of the Year award shows that the Clarets have defied the odds this season.

Dyche is one of five front-runners for the League Managers Association’s award, which last year was won by his friend Brendan Rodgers.

And the Clarets chief think the fact he is being talked about as a candidate for the honour, which Sir Alex Ferguson has won four times and Arsene Wenger twice, shows that people appreciate how Burnley have gone about trying to survive in the Premier League.

"I only think, if that's the case, it's because of the challenge, after game 10 and all of that,” said Dyche.

"Football people recognise the realities of the challenge different to fans sometimes.

"Its recognised we've tried to do something different from the norm, which is throw money at every situation - we're trying to build something on and off the pitch.

“There are challenges that come with that because it is quite hard to get players in who don't need developing, who can just go in and do it, on the money we've spent, so we have to get players who can develop and improve as we've gone on.”

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is favourite to take the award, while Alan Pardew, Ronald Koeman, and former Burnley manager Eddie Howe, now in charge of Bournemouth, are also among the fancied candidates for the honour.

Last week Dyche was linked with a move to Derby at the end of the season if their manager, Steve McClaren, leaves to take over Newcastle.

The former Watford manager distanced himself from that speculation, but his success this season could see him in demand during the summer, and Dyche admits you can’t think too far hard.

"It's strange in this business because it doesn't always get recognised, we're all guilty, it's not always until you're in that job you realise,” he said.

“Ours is just more open because we've been open, the board have worked in a fair manner to say we have to build something, and I couldn't agree more.

"So I said 'ok, tell me what I've got and let's run with it, go hard and give it everything we've got'.

"And that's exactly what we intend to do.

"I'm committee to what we do this week, next week, the week after, and I can't tell you any further just because of the nature of the business.

"I've been at a club (Watford) where I did what was deemed a very good job, and was the only one out of the top four who got a vote for manager of the season in the Championship, and (I was sacked).”

While he does remain at Turf Moor Dyche insists he is determined to build a sustainable future for the Clarets both on and off the pitch, despite advice to the contrary from some of his peers.

“It's unlikely people like me will be here forever, but it's fundamentally important that whatever happens in the future, I've played my part,” he said.

"I did it at my last club, and left it in very good shape.

"Other managers have said 'get every penny you can get and spend it', but you have your own moral beliefs in how you work, and I have mine.

"I happy to build on and off the pitch.”