Dastan Satpayev at Turf Moor: Burnley Fans React
Burnley FC social media is currently awash with Kazakhstan flags and messages from people from the homeland of new striker Dastan Satpayev, all wishing the young player luck as he begins his first season in England. This was reported by Saqtimes.kz.
The Clarets have high hopes of making a quick return to the Premier League come next May, albeit punctuated by some traditional British footballing pessimism as well.
One fan posted [about the Bradford game] on the Up the Clarets fan page that: “The large Burnley contingent in the stand weren’t happy, and there was some booing, just as there had been at West Brom.”
So after over 200 votes were cast for Man of the Match that night, Dastan Satpayev was given this honour, receiving twice as many as the second-placed player.
“He is a really talented player; the goal threat he gives us is a massive asset. We have 46 games in the league and with cup games on top of that, we need a lot of players who can make the difference. Dastan is one of them.”
So, it seems that the Kazakh talent has made a solid start, in spite of his team not getting anywhere near first gear yet.
So what do the Burnley fans think of their new striker, and what hopes do they have for him this season?
Peter Baron is a long-term fan and runs a supporters group in a nearby town. He has already noticed that Dastan Satpayev has the talent, but isn’t sure yet how it will pan out for the 18-year-old, nor if he can expect to play every game this season.
“We don’t know too much about the lad, so difficult to say what expectations we have of him. He is very young, and there are a lot of older and far more experienced players in the Championship,” said Peter, hedging his bets a little, understandably, before praising Satpayev’s obvious ability.
“Last night at Bradford, he was very lively and had a very good first half. He made some good runs, used the ball well and seems to have some pace.
“For some unknown reason, he didn’t get much of the ball in the second half and was then substituted. Maybe he was tiring.
“Hopefully he will grow into the pace and physicality of the Championship.”
It’s a marathon, not a sprint, as they say in the UK after the first few games, win or lose.
The player himself told his new club that:
“It’s my first time playing in England, and I’m ready now to take on the next chapter and have a successful time with Burnley.”
Qazinform reports that he has made a good start, as during an inevitably tough midweek match against Bradford, a battling defensive side, he ticked all the boxes by completing 30 of 35 passes, as well as making 18 runs with the ball. Winning all his tackles and coming out on top in one-to-one duels is also a sign that the youngster is not overawed by the challenge he faces.
Earlier in the week, Burnley came unstuck against a strong and impressive West Brom side in a match that Satpayev didn’t start. Yet serious Clarets fans lamented the fact, The Burnley Way saying on X that:
“Satpayev is looking lively simply because he is running, which can’t be said for a lot of them on that pitch today!”
Chelsea fan Retro 23 was pleased after watching him turn out against Bradford, summing the performance up with two words – very promising – and posting a highlights reel from the game that may indicate that he can still improve, but was one of the best players on the night.
Meanwhile, keen fan @joshpearson180 would probably love to introduce the new winger to the amazing sport of darts, but for the time being wants to see him get more playing time on the pitch.
“I want Satpayev starting next game over Edwards,”he said, before praising Edwards’ talent, but not his effort. He added a few days later that the Kazakh was the only good thing about the Bradford game, not hesitating to use the lad’s new English nickname, Sat Nav (which I promise Kazakh people is a compliment).
Other fans from various Clarets fan clubs believe that the Kazakh striker deserved his man of the match award but aren’t ready yet to agree with former England player Joe Cole, who said that:
“Chelsea have a real gem on their hands, and if he’s given the right environment to grow, I genuinely believe he can become one of the best strikers in the world.”
It’s early days for the thousands of Burnley fans who like what they see so far, but nobody is getting carried away. Jonathan G, a Burnley fan since the 1970s, even said that he’d heard that they were playing him out of position.
“If he’s this good out of his usual territory, imagine how good he’ll be when they play him in the right position!”
Paul just wants his fellow fans to give him space and time to adapt to the Championship, a division which he says can be the undoing of many a talented professional. He believes that like a fine wine, aptly, a Claret, a true footballing great needs to mature in order to fulfil his potential.
“Winning fans over doesn’t always mean getting it spot on all the time (although it helps), but giving 100% is all decent fans ask of the players they pay a fortune to watch.”
Many Clarets fans are already noticing that Satpayev’s work rate is a sign that he isn’t up north for the Lancashire hotpot. He means business on the turf of Turf Moor. And they are right!
At the end of the day, as the video above proves, Dastan Satpayev won’t need any extra motivation this season. He is 100% up for this challenge. He knows he has things to prove, not to mention dealing with the expectations of his former club, Kairat Almaty, his new parent club, Chelsea, the Burnley side that represents an amazing opportunity for him, and above maybe all else, the hopes of an entire nation.
As a Crewe Alexandra fan, I personally can’t support a rival team, but almost every football fan in Kazakhstan is behind Burnley all the way now, so on their behalf, Up the Clarets!