“I’ve convinced myself, there’s a way we pull this one out, doesn’t matter who we’re playing, you have to have that hope”- Burnley co-owner JJ Watt says he is optimistic Clarets can beat relegation as he admits feeling imposter syndrome at EFL title celebration last year
Shortly after it was announced that Watt and his former USWNT star wife Kealia had acquired a stake in the Clarets, Vincent Kompany oversaw promotion to the Premier League as Championship title winners. A piece of silverware was secured as a result, with said honour paraded at Turf Moor and throughout the town.
WHAT JJ WATT SAID
Watt formed part of those celebrations, but admits to feeling a little out of place and hopes to have more tangible success to savour in the future. He has told the Daily Mail:
“We were at the parade, we had the trophy in our hands and all that, and I felt imposter syndrome, because I was like, we’re the kid that showed up to the group project, didn’t do anything, but still got an A. So it was fun. It was a blast. I had a great time. But I don’t feel like I properly earned that. Now if we go on and we win some sort of silverware moving forward in the future – I do feel like I will have been a part of that.”
Collective focus at Burnley is currently narrowed on a Premier League basement battle, with Watt still clinging to the hope that the Clarets can bridge a five-point gap to safety and preserve their top-flight status. He added on that challenge:
“As an owner, you have to be optimistic, you have to have that hope. And I think that’s the beauty of this game, and that’s the beauty of also having promotion [and] relegation. There’s always something to be fighting for. There’s always some adrenaline rush, there’s always something exciting.
“So I think – I always talk to English football fans and they say it’s the hope that kills you. But somehow, every single week, you find a way every single week – doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we can be playing Man City, we can be playing anybody. I’ve convinced myself in my head like, there’s a way we pull this one out. So I still got that optimism in my head.”
Burnley have nine games left to take in this season, with the first of those set to see them head to Chelsea on March 30. They also have meetings with Everton, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest to come, which could go a long way towards determining their fate.
