Nicky Hayen believes the extended international break has done his Burnley squad a genuine favour, with the head coach insisting players have returned to Turf Moor carrying a different energy ahead of Saturday's Championship fixture against Watford (15:00 BST).

The Clarets sit at the foot of the Championship table and have not won a league game in 90 minutes since a victory over Crystal Palace back in February. That run now stands at 23 games without a win, a sequence that stretches from the tail end of last season into this campaign, and one that Hayen himself acknowledged before the international break could cost him his job.

Yet the Belgian coach is cautiously optimistic that something has shifted. Several of his players represented their countries during the fortnight away from club football, and Hayen says those positive international experiences have fed back into the group's mood.

"What was positive was that players were playing in the international break for their national team and had positive and successful experiences," Hayen told BBC Radio Lancashire. "They came back with a different mindset, with lots of energy and positivity and this is also something that I have to bring into the team."

A fresh episode, not a fresh excuse

It would be easy to dismiss that kind of language as managerial boilerplate, and it is worth being honest: a changed atmosphere in training is not the same as a changed set of results on the pitch. Burnley's problems are structural as much as psychological. They conceded a late equaliser against Derby in their most recent outing to deny themselves what would have been only a second point of the season, and their winless league run pre-dates this campaign entirely.

Hayen is aware that looking backwards offers no answers. "From now we just have to look forward and of course we can talk about it but it won't help us towards the future, so this has to be a new episode for us starting from Saturday," he said.

The break also included a friendly against Oldham Athletic, a match Hayen cited as evidence that something is beginning to change. "We played a friendly game and you saw already that the mindset is changing and that there's another vibe and that's the only thing we need," he added. "You feel that this club is waiting for that result for a long time and that's the only thing we need to keep going forward."

What Saturday means for Burnley's season

Burnley face Watford on Saturday knowing that a first win of the season would do far more than simply add three points. It would end a run that has weighed on the club for months, ease the considerable pressure on Hayen's position, and give the squad tangible evidence that the positivity they are describing is something more than a mood.

Whether the international break has genuinely repaired confidence or merely provided a temporary respite from a difficult environment, we cannot know for certain until the games are played. What is not in dispute is the scale of the task. Burnley are bottom of the second tier with no league win to their name this season. The margin for error, for Hayen and his players alike, is as slim as it gets.

The market, for what it is worth, reflects that reality. But Hayen's message is that the dressing room is refusing to be defined by a run it cannot change, only by what it does next. Saturday at Turf Moor will tell us whether words have found their way into performances.

Frequently asked

When do Burnley next play in the Championship?
Burnley face Watford on Saturday at 15:00 BST in their next Championship fixture.
How long has Burnley's winless run lasted?
Burnley have gone 23 games without a win in 90 minutes in the league, a run stretching back to a victory over Crystal Palace in February.
Is Nicky Hayen still Burnley manager?
Yes. Hayen remains in charge at Burnley and has spoken positively about the squad's mindset following the international break, despite previously acknowledging his future was uncertain.