'He can never wear a Burnley shirt again' - Ex-Clarets star causes uproar with controversial comments | OneFootball

Quilindschy Hartman was critical of Burnley after he sealed a move to join Espanyol in La Liga following the Clarets' relegation.

Burnley are set for a very busy period as they prepare for their Championship opener at home to West Ham on August 16.

The fans have been frustrated at the length of time it took to name Scott Parker’s successor, although with Nicky Hayen now set to take over, the Clarets appear to have made a shrewd appointment in the ex-Club Brugge chief.

Now, attention will turn to reshaping the squad, as, like all relegated clubs, Burnley will need to balance the books after dropping out of the top flight.

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Quilindschy Hartman criticised for Burnley comments after Espanyol move

Burnley have already made a start on that front, as Quilindschy Hartman has completed a switch to Espanyol, which will be an initial loan with an option to buy.

Obviously, with Alan Pace and ALK in charge at Espanyol and Burnley, this was a relatively straightforward transfer to finalise.

Yet, it’s fair to say that Hartman’s comments after his move haven’t gone down well, as the left-back criticised the town ahead of moving to Barcelona, and he revealed he had been keen on departing since he knew it was a possibility in January.

Naturally, fans weren’t happy with the Dutchman, and when FLW asked Burnley fan pundit Aaron Wright for his thoughts on Hartman’s comments, he issued a furious response.

“He can never wear a Burnley shirt again, anything with the Burnley badge on, I don’t want him wearing. He can absolutely, in a polite way, go away.

“To criticise the town has annoyed me most. Everyone knows Burnley is not a rich place, it’s not a place with a lot of money, but it’s a place with a lot of pride, and if you wear that Burnley shirt, you are representing the people of the town.

“You get 20,000 turning up every week, yeah it might dip in a midweek, but pretty much 20,000 will be there, representing a small, post-industrial town in the north of England, that, for the last decade, without sounding arrogant, has carried town football on its back.

“Ipswich have had fleeting spells, Huddersfield have, but Blackburn have gone, Bolton have. In the top tier, there has been no other town there consistently. That’s where the game started, and, even from a football perspective, if you don’t see football in England is a town sport first, then you’re not going to represent those people whilst being paid extortionate amounts of money, then go. Enjoy the city of Barcelona.

“I hope it goes absolutely horribly for him, although I do want Burnley to get the biggest fee possible for him. But, I will say, it’s taught us what we had in Charlie Taylor and Stephen Ward.

“Even the other left-back at the club, Lucas Pires. Hartman is a better footballer than Pires, but Pires gives absolutely everything. He represents us like Vitinho did, another Brazilian full-back. So, I never want to see Hartman again.”

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Burnley must recruit the right characters moving forward

This should be a lesson to Burnley when it comes to signing players, as they only need individuals who are fully bought into everything that the club is about.

Hartman is a good player, and he was one of few who looked as though he could cope in the Premier League, so a summer move for the ex-Feyenoord man didn’t come as a surprise.

But, for Burnley fans to see him criticise the town and state he had been keen on a move for months, it was always going to cause a problem, as you immediately question his commitment.

The best Burnley side in recent memory is the one Sean Dyche built, and they had an excellent spirit, created a bond with the supporters, and displayed pride when pulling on the shirt.

That needs to be the priority for Burnley again, as they have lost that identity in recent years, and fans need to see a group that give their all, even if they don’t always get the results they want.