Glen Little expresses surprise Nicky Hayen remains in post as Burnley boss

Clarets favourite Glen Little has expressed his surprise that Nicky Hayen is still in position as Burnley boss.

The Belgian has come under intense early pressure just two months into his reign following a disastrous start to the season.

The Clarets sit in last place in the Championship, having failed to win any of their first eight games.

A 1-1 draw against Derby County, in a game Hayen dubbed as “must-win”, looked as though it would be the final straw for Hayen, but it appears his job is safe for now as Burnley head into the three-week international break.

“When you see Derby equalise in the 93rd minute, it probably just sums up the way it’s gone this season, because they can’t even hang on in injury time against a poor Derby side,” Little explained to the Burnley Express.

“But if your mind’s not made up straight after that, then what are you really waiting for? So it does look like he’s probably safe.

“It’s just strange, isn’t it? You’d think if they’re going to do it, this is the perfect time with the three weeks off.

“You can have a new manager ready, who can come in and work with the players over the next three weeks, put a plan together, gel the players, get them playing in the right positions and get your best XI ready to go against Watford.

“But now you’re under even more pressure the longer this goes on. This is how it’s going to be when you don’t win.

“It’s a bit like the situation with Scott Parker last season, where every game he didn’t win the crowd got more and more frustrated. They waited too long there, didn’t they?

“Now, with what’s happened, you’re looking at it thinking you probably should have stuck with Scott until the end of the season and let him get on with it this season.

“But it feels desperate for the new manager right now. You’re expecting a performance against Watford because if you don’t, then everyone is going to be wondering: ‘what have you done in the last three weeks?’

“If you lose at Watford, then surely you’ve got to make the decision then, haven’t you?”

While Little accepts Hayen has made life more difficult for himself than necessary, he also believes the problems run a little deeper.

“It’s looked like a mess from the start of the season,” he added. “Even getting a new manager in…how can you not have a manager in for the start of pre-season?

“You made the change with Parker long before the end of the season, so you should have already been looking. So is it a case that managers have turned us down?

“That would be a concern, because as poor as Burnley have been in the Premier League, it’s been complete domination in the Championship the last couple of years. So that sort of says to me, did these other managers know what was coming?

“You end up going for Nicky Hayen and I’ll be honest, I didn’t know him. But he’s come into a bit of a mess. But even then, he should have Burnley 14th in the table, or 16th. Not rock bottom and eight games without a win.

“So even though there have been excuses, it doesn’t seem like he’s got a best XI, he’s playing players out of position and he’s chopping and changing a lot, so he hasn’t helped himself.

“I’m sure the likes of Lincoln and Bolton are looking at Burnley’s squad and would love some of these players. They can’t pay the same as Burnley, yet they’re still managing to find a way to win games, so it’s looking like a bit of a shambles at this moment in time.

“Yes, some of the players haven’t been good enough and there have been some poor performances, but you can’t suddenly get rid of 15 players or change the ownership, usually it’s the manager who has to sort the mess out and if he can’t, he’ll get the sack.

“It’s horrible, I don’t want to see him get the sack. I’d love him to do well, but you can’t come into Burnley and not win a game from your first eight games.

“But who am I to say this? Well, I think there will be quite a few others who are with me. But it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, does it?”