BURNLEY, England (Reuters) - Sean Dyche's trademark gruff, raspy voice, has nothing to do with an alleged bizarre eating habit, the Burnley manager clarified on Thursday.
Dyche's former Bristol City team mate Soren Andersen told a Danish football podcast that the manager's gravelly tones may be linked to a penchant for munching on earthworms.
"Maybe the voice comes from eating rainworms, because every time we trained, he used to eat rainworms," Anderson said.
"Yes, he did. It was horrible, I’ve never experienced anything like it. It was like: ‘whoops, there’s a rainworm’ and then he ate it."
Yet Dyche suggested the former Denmark striker had fallen for a practical joke.
"Yeah, I also smoke exhaust pipes. I have gravel for breakfast. Those three combined often are the things that keep this voice sounding how it is. It’s fair to say I didn’t actually eat the worms," Dyche said.
"It was a bit of banter I used to have. I’ve done it here and Watford too - that you get a nice, big juicy worm hanging out of your mouth. Look as if you’re chewing it and then spit it out, wash your mouth with water.
"It was a bit of banter and Soren has probably taken it a bit too far, he was probably turning away at that moment. He’s a good lad," added Dyche.
"For the record I definitely don't eat worms and I never did."
Burnley host Manchester United at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.
(Reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Toby Davis)
