Josh Cullen’s post West Ham United revival goes on with the Premier League-bound midfielder ‘delighted’ to pick up Burnley’s Player of the Season award.
Cullen was not merely a key cog in Vincent Kompany’s Championship-winning machine, he was also the spark which kick-started their transformation into one of English football’s most aesthetically-pleasing sides.
The Irishman’s influence was clear to see right from the opening day victory over Huddersfield Town; Cullen racking up more passes than Xavi in a worldwide Pass the Parcel tournament.
The summer signing from Anderlecht started 43 of Burnley’s 46 Championship games. What’s more, only one midfielder in the whole of the second-tier – Swansea City’s Matt Grimes – averaged more than his 71 passes per game either, per WhoScored, with Cullen epitomising the club’s evolution from pragmatic to possession-based under Kompany.
Josh Cullen can now show West Ham what they’re missing at Burnley
And, while team-mates Manuel Benson, Anass Zaroury and Nathan Tella have hogged the headlines more often than not – a hatful of goals will do that, of course – Cullen’s prosperous night at Burnley’s End of Season awards show is proof of just how highly he is regarded at Turf Moor.
“I’m absolutely delighted to win these awards. It tops off what has been an unbelievable season,” Cullen smiles after picking up Burnley’s Player of the Season and the Players’ Player of the Season award.
“There has been so many great players this season in our team. Everyone has performed really well. So, to get recognition from your fellow team-mates is a great feeling.”
West Ham sold Cullen, a Hammers academy graduate, for just £500,000 back in 2020. The Essex-born 27-year-old will be chomping at the bit next term as he looks to show his old employers what they are missing; Vincent Kompany leading Burnley back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
‘The ultimate player’
“I can’t be complimentary enough,” Kompany says of Cullen, who the Manchester City legend worked with at Anderlecht before reuniting in Lancashire.
“I think everyone can see what he does. The team appreciates it. His strength is that he’s the ultimate player, (and) puts the team before himself.
“The best way to describe Josh is that he came to Anderlecht as a squad player, and he became the most important player in my squad. Then he came to Burnley, and he became one of the most important players in the team.”
There are shades of Declan Rice, perhaps, in the way Cullen sets the example with his consistency and professionalism from the centre of the park.
“The best way to describe him is, if you set up a (training) session, from that first pass Josh will perform to the highest possible standard,” Kompany adds.
“The last tackle he will make in the session will be at the highest standard that he can do it at too.”
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