When Scott Parker could be sacked by Burnley as ‘disaster’ verdict shared
Scott Parker could be sacked by Burnley if they fail to win a game between now and the new year amid growing fears they will be relegated.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the Clarets would prefer not to sack Parker but results may force their hand.
Football Insider exclusively revealed in October that Burnley had no plans to sack Parker despite slipping into the relegation zone in the season’s early stages.
However, after Burnley lost 3-2 to Fulham at Turf Moor at the weekend, they have dropped to six points from safety and are at risk of being cut adrift.
As a result, failure to pick up points between now and the new year could see the boss replaced as the club scramble for their Premier League survival.
Burnley consider sacking Scott Parker
Burnley have already begun considering Parker’s potential replacement as pressure continues to grow on the manager’s position due to their recent run of poor form.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience working alongside elite-level managers including Sir Alex Ferguson for over a decade at Man United, insisted that Burnley’s struggles defensively are contributing to the pressure on the manager.
“Burnley got a lot of praise for their performances last year,” he told Football Insider.
“They had an excellent defensive record in the Championship and they were fantastic, they were the team I was most impressed by last season.
“But now they’ve come up and quickly found out that the Premier League is a different kettle of fish.
“I heard the commentary from their game against Fulham and they were giving daft games away, so that stability at the back is starting to fade.
“Then you add to that the fact they can’t score too many goals for whatever reason, it’s dangerous.
“Giving goals away at one end and struggling to score them at the other is a recipe for disaster, and now they’re dropping further into the relegation zone.
“From what I’ve seen of them, they do the best they can, they work hard, but they just haven’t got that quality you need to survive in the Premier League.
“That’s not the manager’s fault, and they’ve been keen to stick with him, but as is the case with every club, if they’re at risk of getting cut adrift, they’ll have to make a decision.
“Say we get to January and they haven’t won a game before then, they’ll be in real danger of going down, and the reaction to that normally is to sack the manager.”
Gary O’Neil tipped as a contender for Burnley
Among those linked with the potential vacancy at Burnley should Parker lose his job is Gary O’Neil, with the former Wolves boss eyeing a return to the Premier League.
O’Neil had been considered for a return to Wolves, while Championship duo Middlesbrough and Southampton have also attempted to lure him in.
Brown told Football Insider on 3 December that O’Neil is a leading contender for Leeds as they weigh up Daniel Farke’s future, with a number of clubs eyeing the boss.
Burnley are the latest club to glance in the 42-year-old’s direction, as they eye a new option to keep them in the Premier League after what has been a difficult start.
O’Neil’s experience leading clubs to safety in the Premier League has not gone unnoticed, while he is reportedly keen to make a return to management.
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